James Wasula

In the wake of the Cranes’ ejection from World Class football by little-respected Niger, I beg to contribute to the strategy that can help the Ugandan team.

To have a formidable footballing nation, we must have a highly competitive league where big clubs like KCC fight relegation. We do not win away matches because our players are not tuned to stiff competition. Consequently, our players lack mental resilience and tactical approach to matches where there is high tension.

Youth programmes are essential for the development of football. Where are the products of the Kampala Kids League, Friends of Football, Coca-Cola Schools Tournament? Players tapped from such programmes should be pillars in our teams at club and national level.

Football administrators should be accountable. FUFA president Lawrence Mulindwa has not published his achievements, failures and pending issues on his manifesto. He should account for the period he has been in power. Self-evaluation is key to development as offers opportunity to delegates to correct whatever may have gone wrong, devise means to attain what may have not been achieved during the period under review and improve on methodology.

FUFA should identify where we are, where we want to go and formulate how and when we shall get there.We need a complete restructuring of the existing football framework. FUFA should develop a strategic plan. Under the long-term plan, football should be organised at LC level. For each district to be federated to FUFA, it must have an LC1 league (3rd Division), LC2 League (2nd Division) and LC3 League (1st Division). Privately-run teams may participate in the same leagues alongside the LC teams.

Each district must have a super division team participating in the national league. The short-term plan should include restructuring FUFA and its competitions.

Super division teams should be reduced and the remaining 13 teams should play in Serie B of the Super Division. At the end the first of year, the last three teams in Serie A play off with the first five teams in Serie B for promotion to Serie A. The last 5 teams in Serie B are relegated.

The writer is the general secretary, Uganda Performing Right Society