Egypt 2006 is very possible
Dec 08, 2003
THE 46-year battle against apartheid is one of those struggles that always motivate me into believing that evil, of whatever magnitude, can be trounced.
I Say So By James Bakama
THE 46-year battle against apartheid is one of those struggles that always motivate me into believing that evil, of whatever magnitude, can be trounced.
Likewise, I am one of those who believe that even with the pen, columns like these might one day be a factor in clearing the mess in Ugandan football.
It is for that reason that I begin yet another campaign of telling the men who manage our football that, if sanity can prevail in Uganda's most popular sport, we could make it to the 2006 Nations Cup finals.
Draws for the group stages of the African qualifiers, which double as an elimination for 2006 World Cup, are out and we are grouped with Burkina Faso, South Africa, Ghana, Cape Verde and DR Congo.
To consider Uganda’s chances of making it to the 2006 World Cup would be like imagining a light fly boxer against a heavyweight.
So, as an alternative, what should be the formula to Egypt 2006 Nations Cup qualification?
Firstly, the forthcoming FUFA general assembly should set the pace in ensuring an enabling environment. Putting in place organs like an effective technical committee should be a priority.
That the current technical committee still believes in Pablo Pasculli, a big factor in our failure in the last qualifiers, should be a point of serious debate at the assembly.
Winning all our home matches should this time be a must for whoever is in charge if we are to consider ourselves serious material for the finals.
Cape Verde, ranked 145, should be our softest target.
On the other hand, Burkina Faso, which is currently setting records in the U-21 World Cup should be taken seriously just like DR Congo, Ghana and South Africa.
But do not also forget that we humbled Congo in 2001 while mighty Ghana has lost two of its recent matches with us besides being held to a draw in Kumasi.
But most important in Uganda’s qualification equation are the players.
If it’s the likes of Hassan Mubiru at the team’s helm, then we had better rule ourselves out of contention in advance.
jbakama@newvision.co.ug
Ends
THE 46-year battle against apartheid is one of those struggles that always motivate me into believing that evil, of whatever magnitude, can be trounced.
Likewise, I am one of those who believe that even with the pen, columns like these might one day be a factor in clearing the mess in Ugandan football.
It is for that reason that I begin yet another campaign of telling the men who manage our football that, if sanity can prevail in Uganda's most popular sport, we could make it to the 2006 Nations Cup finals.
Draws for the group stages of the African qualifiers, which double as an elimination for 2006 World Cup, are out and we are grouped with Burkina Faso, South Africa, Ghana, Cape Verde and DR Congo.
To consider Uganda’s chances of making it to the 2006 World Cup would be like imagining a light fly boxer against a heavyweight.
So, as an alternative, what should be the formula to Egypt 2006 Nations Cup qualification?
Firstly, the forthcoming FUFA general assembly should set the pace in ensuring an enabling environment. Putting in place organs like an effective technical committee should be a priority.
That the current technical committee still believes in Pablo Pasculli, a big factor in our failure in the last qualifiers, should be a point of serious debate at the assembly.
Winning all our home matches should this time be a must for whoever is in charge if we are to consider ourselves serious material for the finals.
Cape Verde, ranked 145, should be our softest target.
On the other hand, Burkina Faso, which is currently setting records in the U-21 World Cup should be taken seriously just like DR Congo, Ghana and South Africa.
But do not also forget that we humbled Congo in 2001 while mighty Ghana has lost two of its recent matches with us besides being held to a draw in Kumasi.
But most important in Uganda’s qualification equation are the players.
If it’s the likes of Hassan Mubiru at the team’s helm, then we had better rule ourselves out of contention in advance.
jbakama@newvision.co.ug
Ends