A combined team of Uganda Cranes and the Hippos [U-20s] has embarked on training ahead of an International friendly against South Sudan in Juba on July 10. Asuman Lubowa, the head of the technical wing Federation of Uganda Football Association-FUFA says that they have invited 22 players but will take 11 from the junior side and 7 from the senior side for the trip.
He says that they thought it wise to have the team combined so that the friendly can benefit all categories of players. Lubowa says that they also decided that Paul Nkata, the junior team coach and his deputy Abudallah Mubiru handle the team during the friendly with the South Sudan. The newly affiliated South Sudan Football Association (SSFA) invited the regional Cecafa regional champions Uganda Cranes for the friendly after the team’s latest good show in the region and in the on-going 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Assistant coach Mubiru told URN after training on Wednesday that he expects the team to be ready by Monday as they still have to work on fitness training. He says that combining junior players with the senior is very good because the U-20s will learn a lot as they prepare for a 2013 Africa Youth Championship qualifier against Ghana on July 27.
//Cue in: It’s not easy…
Cue out; We had planned,”//
The hosts last month appointed Zoran Derdevic as their head coach. The Serbian has also coached several top teams in the Middle East and Africa. He also handled national teams of Yemen, Bangladesh, Philippines U-23 and Sudan in 2000.
FUFA’s Chief Executive Officer Edgar Watson confirmed to URN that they had received the tickets from SSFA and the team will leave on Monday aboard Air Uganda. After the International friendly, another South Sudanese side Wau Salaam will head to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania for the regional Cecafa Kagame Club Championships.
