By Leonard Kamugisha Akida
The country’s biggest soccer team Uganda Cranes players have returned home as orphans after the resignation of the team manager Sebastian Desabre. It’s reportedly that a bunch of Cranes players landed at the Ugandan soil yesterday and another one is expected in the early morning hours of today Monday 8th July, 2019 to attend a meeting with President Museveni, and FUFA officials.
The return of the Cranes players and the resignation of Desabre comes after a regrettable 1 – 0 loss to Senegal on Friday in the African Cup of Nation competitions in Egypt, a match that left a bigger section of Ugandans in great sorrows.
According to the Federation of Uganda Football Association ( FUFA ), the players will convene in a meeting with the president today afternoon.
” Several players are already back, while others arrive Monday morning, in time for the afternoon meet with President Museveni,” FUFA said.
Uganda’s performance in the tournament has been a promising one with their most commemorated first win against DR Congo with 2-0 goals, followed by the 1 goal draw with Zimbabwe and a 1 goal loss to Egypt Pharaoh’s in the Afcon Group A stages.
Cranes qualified for around of 16 in the second position in Group A with 4 points. However, it’s hopes to continue playing in the tournament were heart broken by Senegal on Friday.
Earlier, there was a player’s strike demanding for a payment of US$10,000 worth 36 millions each as promised by FUFA, but this later promised to pay each playerUS $6,000 (22M) if they qualified to round of16, nonetheless, boycotts continued before a match against Senegal something that prompted Ugandans all over accuse both FUFA and the players of failure to qualify for quarter finals.
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| Resigned U cranes Boss, Sebastian Desabre |
The resignation of Sebastian Desabre was an addition of insults to wounds.
Desabre, French nationale, signed a 2yr contract deal in December 2017 with FUFA, and has greatly helped Uganda Cranes qualify for the long dreamt AFCON tournament after 39 years without qualifying. He was succeeding Serbian Internationale Miltin Sredojevic ‘Micho’ who also resigned on grounds of delayed arrears.
Before joining Uganda Cranes, Desabre was in-charge of Egyptian Premier league side Ismaili FC. On Sunday the Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) released a communication that they had parted ways with Desabre.
“On the 6th of July 2019, both FUFA and National Team Head coach of the Uganda Cranes Desabre mutually agreed to terminate the contract between the two parties,” read the communication.
Egyptian soccer team Al Ahly SC is reportedly looking on to Desabre as their new coach and other sources have it that Egypt may be eyeing him as the best replacement of their sacked coach. However, it’s not yet clear whether his resignation is in line with this alleged deal.
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| Uganda Cranes players ready to face off Senegal in Afcon 2019 knockout at Cairo International stadium in Egypt. |
