By Swalley Kenyi

UGANDA Cranes coach Bobby Williamson has opted for a new-look side for the forthcoming CECAFA Tusker Senior Challenge Cup in Kampala next month.

While addressing the press at the weekly FUFA press conference in Mengo yesterday, Williamson said he would use the three-week championship to try out a number of players from the U-20 and U-23 sides in preparation for the Africa Nations Championship next year.

“We are going to watch matches to spot as many players to form a big pool we will try out. This team will form the bulk of players for the CECAFA team. But we shall have a few senior players,” Williamson said.

The CECAFA tournament is set for November 24 – December 11 at Namboole.

FUFA’s decision to keep the senior players out of CECAFA could translate into lack of interest in the championship by the federation but vice president Mujib Kasule explained that they still take the competition serious.

Williamson however said that there will be few foreign based players in his consideration including Dan Sserunkuuma, who plies his trade in Kenya’s Gor Mahia. Serunkuuma, who has featured for Uganda’s U-23 has established himself as a top striker in Kenya and has not hidden his interest to play for Harambee Stars after the Uganda technical team has continually ignored him.

Uganda Cranes is the most successful in Africa’s oldest competition, having won it 12 times.

The FUFA technical committee has also backed Williamson in his tactics following some accusations that the coach used a wrong approach in the game against Zambia where the Cranes were denied a chance to play at next year’s Nations Cup finals in South Africa when the Chipolopolo ejected them on penalties.