Same old story
May 28, 2008
THE last time Niger jetted into Uganda, I was fortunate enough to be invited along for a revealing tête-à -tête by their coach, Hamey Amadou. Then, Amadou proved an engaging and affable interviewee till the name David Obua made a long overdue appearance in our chit-chat.
Joseph Opio
THE last time Niger jetted into Uganda, I was fortunate enough to be invited along for a revealing tête-à -tête by their coach, Hamey Amadou. Then, Amadou proved an engaging and affable interviewee till the name David Obua made a long overdue appearance in our chit-chat.
Amadou confessed his near-phobic obsession with Cranes’ winger and told me that smothering Obua would be a sure antidote to Cranes’ attacking attempts.
“We’ll have to watch him. He’s Cranes' dangerous player,†Amadou added.
As it turned out, Amadou’s dread wasn’t without foundation.
His defenders could have been better-served heeding his pearls of wisdom.
They didn’t and come the match proper, they watched, hypnotised, as Obua turned terrorist-in-chief — plundering a hat-trick that inspired Uganda to a 3-1 win against Niger at Namboole.
Now, I didn’t get to share another heart-to-heart with Amadou when Niger arrived yesterday.
But I doubt there are any prizes for guessing who’ll haunt Amadou’s nocturnal thoughts prior to the 2010 World Cup/Nations Cup qualifier this weekend.
Amadou’s traumatised defenders still bear scars from their last run-in with Obua. But after a few therapy sessions, they will no doubt be ultra-vigilant this time round.
Problem is, Obua isn’t even certain to start.
The Kaizer Chiefs winger hasn’t had much action at his club and some sections in the media have been calling for him to give way to the exciting talent of Mike Sserumaga.
The fact that Amadou’s worst nightmare is enduring even a shadow of speculation must be unwelcome news to Niger. It also illustrates the gulf in class between the two sides.
Cranes coach Laszlo Csaba has a gifted pool so vast that he has spent the entire build-up to the qualifier troubled with an unrelenting selection migraine.
Amadou, on the other hand, possesses no such luxuries; his team virtually picks itself.
Unlike Csaba, whose preferred attacking line and team formation, have kept all guessing, Amadou is condemned to the unattractive prospect of fielding exactly the same troops that were slaughtered, single-handedly, by Obua last time round.
More than even the Cranes, predictability — so fatal in every facet of life — will be Amadou’s primary opponent.
Fate has dealt Amadou the same cards he had last year and it’s definite that Niger will line-up in an unchanged 4-3-3 formation — with Camilou Daouda, Amidou Djibou and Souleymane Sakou in attack.
This threesome was treasonably impotent last time round, and Amadou’s only wish will be that it at least makes Cranes’ defenders earn their wages on Saturday.
If Niger’s frontline doesn’t inspire much confidence, then the less said about their defenders, the better.
The poor, hapless fellows will come into this qualifier dripping with trepidation; fully aware that if the Cranes get into the mood, another torrid afternoon at office lies in ambush.
Potential match winners
DAVID OBUA
Compiled by Fred Kaweesi
THE sole reason Uganda were such a threat in the previous Nations Cup qualifying campaign, was largely down to the brilliance of David Obua.
His proficiency in front of goal in that fateful campaign that culminated into five goals, earned him a place among Africa’s leading strikers in the 2008 qualifiers.
With the nation still pregnant with expectation, Obua’s swift left foot will have to replicate the sort of magic that saw several of Uganda’s opponents wither before his might last year.
THE last time Niger jetted into Uganda, I was fortunate enough to be invited along for a revealing tête-à -tête by their coach, Hamey Amadou. Then, Amadou proved an engaging and affable interviewee till the name David Obua made a long overdue appearance in our chit-chat.
Amadou confessed his near-phobic obsession with Cranes’ winger and told me that smothering Obua would be a sure antidote to Cranes’ attacking attempts.
“We’ll have to watch him. He’s Cranes' dangerous player,†Amadou added.
As it turned out, Amadou’s dread wasn’t without foundation.
His defenders could have been better-served heeding his pearls of wisdom.
They didn’t and come the match proper, they watched, hypnotised, as Obua turned terrorist-in-chief — plundering a hat-trick that inspired Uganda to a 3-1 win against Niger at Namboole.
Now, I didn’t get to share another heart-to-heart with Amadou when Niger arrived yesterday.
But I doubt there are any prizes for guessing who’ll haunt Amadou’s nocturnal thoughts prior to the 2010 World Cup/Nations Cup qualifier this weekend.
Amadou’s traumatised defenders still bear scars from their last run-in with Obua. But after a few therapy sessions, they will no doubt be ultra-vigilant this time round.
Problem is, Obua isn’t even certain to start.
The Kaizer Chiefs winger hasn’t had much action at his club and some sections in the media have been calling for him to give way to the exciting talent of Mike Sserumaga.
The fact that Amadou’s worst nightmare is enduring even a shadow of speculation must be unwelcome news to Niger. It also illustrates the gulf in class between the two sides.
Cranes coach Laszlo Csaba has a gifted pool so vast that he has spent the entire build-up to the qualifier troubled with an unrelenting selection migraine.
Amadou, on the other hand, possesses no such luxuries; his team virtually picks itself.
Unlike Csaba, whose preferred attacking line and team formation, have kept all guessing, Amadou is condemned to the unattractive prospect of fielding exactly the same troops that were slaughtered, single-handedly, by Obua last time round.
More than even the Cranes, predictability — so fatal in every facet of life — will be Amadou’s primary opponent.
Fate has dealt Amadou the same cards he had last year and it’s definite that Niger will line-up in an unchanged 4-3-3 formation — with Camilou Daouda, Amidou Djibou and Souleymane Sakou in attack.
This threesome was treasonably impotent last time round, and Amadou’s only wish will be that it at least makes Cranes’ defenders earn their wages on Saturday.
If Niger’s frontline doesn’t inspire much confidence, then the less said about their defenders, the better.
The poor, hapless fellows will come into this qualifier dripping with trepidation; fully aware that if the Cranes get into the mood, another torrid afternoon at office lies in ambush.
Potential match winners
DAVID OBUA
Compiled by Fred Kaweesi
THE sole reason Uganda were such a threat in the previous Nations Cup qualifying campaign, was largely down to the brilliance of David Obua.
His proficiency in front of goal in that fateful campaign that culminated into five goals, earned him a place among Africa’s leading strikers in the 2008 qualifiers.
With the nation still pregnant with expectation, Obua’s swift left foot will have to replicate the sort of magic that saw several of Uganda’s opponents wither before his might last year.