FUFA rules out pros for CECAFA contest

Sep 19, 2009

PROFESSIONALS will not be invited for the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup that will be used to prepare for the qualifiers of the 2011 Africa Nations Championship.

By Swalley Kenyi

PROFESSIONALS will not be invited for the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup that will be used to prepare for the qualifiers of the 2011 Africa Nations Championship.

The Challenge Cup will be held in Kenya in November. Uganda Cranes are champions of the annual event having defeated Harambee Stars of Kenya 1-0 in Kampala in January.

Brian Omony, now a professional in South Africa, scored the goal that delivered victory to Cranes.

This time round, Omony and the other professionals will not play a part in Uganda’s title defence.

FUFA wants amateur players to be exclusively in charge of the title pursuit with an eye on the second edition of the Africa Nations Championship.

The event, entering its second year, is competed for by home based players , in accordance with the Confederation of African Football requirements.

Cranes will open their campaign in the event with an away game against unseeded Burundi in March.

FUFA technical director Asuman Lubowa said that they ignored professional players for the Challenge Cup in a bid to give amateurs exposure ahead of the Nations Championship.

“We do not need professional players because we shall use amateurs for the Africa Nations Championship,” Lubowa explained.

But he added that they would not summon a squad for the Challenge Cup training until after kick off of the Uganda Super later this month.

In the inaugural Africa Nations Championship, Uganda ejected Tanzania before falling to eventual champions DR Congo team.

DR Congo beat Ghana 2-0 in the final held in Ivory Coast early this year.

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