What the legends say: Lwanga optimistic
MOST Ugandans would have loved to see Ibrahim Sekagya lead the Cranes to battle against Guinea Bissau on Saturday. That however won’t happen as the central defender is serving a suspension for a foul he committed against the same opponents in March.
By JAMES BAKAMA
MOST Ugandans would have loved to see Ibrahim Sekagya lead the Cranes to battle against Guinea Bissau on Saturday.
That however won’t happen as the central defender is serving a suspension for a foul he committed against the same opponents in March.
Former Cranes defender Tom Lwanga accepts that Sekagya will indeed be greatly missed but however adds that his absence could also be a blessing in disguise.
Lwanga, a member of the Cranes side that reached the Nations Cup final in 1978, says Sekagya’s exclusion also serves as an opportunity for other players to also prove their competence in the heart of the defence.
“Sekagya is a great player but I think it is about time we started thinking of substitutes given his age,†notes Lwanga.
Lwanga who is confident the Cranes will qualify for next year’s final tournament , cautions that the sooner Uganda started looking for other central defenders the better.
“The tournament is so hectic that you need to have options. The beauty with the current Cranes side is that every position has options.â€
US based Henry Kalungi and Isaac Isinde who features for Ethiopian side St George are the players coach Bobby Williamson will be looking to fill Sekagya’s gap.
Lwanga notes that like the 1978 side the current team has high morale. “It is something to do with the coach. He has a personality that lifts the team the same way coach Peter Okee and manager Bidandi Ssali did in our time.â€
He however observes that this was not the case during Bobby’s predecessor Laszlo Csaba’s reign. “The players were ever tense,†he recounts.
Lwanga’s confidence in Bobby’s team also stems from its vast experience.
“Many of the players on the team have been together for five years with experience from qualifiers to three finals. That’s priceless experience.â€
Lwanga has also served as a coach of Uganda Super League clubs like Coffee and KCC plus the parliament’s football team.
MOST Ugandans would have loved to see Ibrahim Sekagya lead the Cranes to battle against Guinea Bissau on Saturday.
That however won’t happen as the central defender is serving a suspension for a foul he committed against the same opponents in March.
Former Cranes defender Tom Lwanga accepts that Sekagya will indeed be greatly missed but however adds that his absence could also be a blessing in disguise.
Lwanga, a member of the Cranes side that reached the Nations Cup final in 1978, says Sekagya’s exclusion also serves as an opportunity for other players to also prove their competence in the heart of the defence.
“Sekagya is a great player but I think it is about time we started thinking of substitutes given his age,†notes Lwanga.
Lwanga who is confident the Cranes will qualify for next year’s final tournament , cautions that the sooner Uganda started looking for other central defenders the better.
“The tournament is so hectic that you need to have options. The beauty with the current Cranes side is that every position has options.â€
US based Henry Kalungi and Isaac Isinde who features for Ethiopian side St George are the players coach Bobby Williamson will be looking to fill Sekagya’s gap.
Lwanga notes that like the 1978 side the current team has high morale. “It is something to do with the coach. He has a personality that lifts the team the same way coach Peter Okee and manager Bidandi Ssali did in our time.â€
He however observes that this was not the case during Bobby’s predecessor Laszlo Csaba’s reign. “The players were ever tense,†he recounts.
Lwanga’s confidence in Bobby’s team also stems from its vast experience.
“Many of the players on the team have been together for five years with experience from qualifiers to three finals. That’s priceless experience.â€
Lwanga has also served as a coach of Uganda Super League clubs like Coffee and KCC plus the parliament’s football team.