It all started when Uganda arrived in Bujumbura to take on the Intamba Stars in the first leg and Henry Kiseka hit the back of the net on the astro turf. Although Burundi managed to get an equalizer in that game, it did not stop them from a humiliation in Kampala orchestrated by King Odur joining the Uganda Cranes Elite Hatrick Club and a scorcher from Afande Musa Mudde who has played all the 360 minutes of this historical qualification.
The Migingo rivalry was settled by an away goal which is has been typical of the battles between us and our eastern neighbours over decades of years. Sula Matovu hit now a trademark missile while Mike Sserumaga returning to his best hit as well a trademark free kick in Nyayo Stadium.
The statistics are that we scored 7 goals against 3 goals in the just concluded campaign. Bobby has played a variety of players in different positions but the statistics are very alarming. Out of 18 matches the bobby brigade has managed 13 wins, 1 draw and 4 losses scoring 38 goals against 12. What is astonishing is that the team has scored in each of the 18 matches implying that Bobby has never been on bench and the Cranes go without a goal. He seems to have finally got the medicine to the achilles of Uganda Cranes playing well but failing to score. He has also registered an away win in Sudan and again all this being achieved using a bunch of hitherto unconsidered players under the previous manager. Did I mention that Bobby has not been about scoring goals but has also kept a clean sheet of 12 of the 18 matches under his belt!
The Uganda Cranes has now jumped the first hurdle and has now created a habit of qualifying for continental finals. It may sound simplistic but qualification is a necessary psychological requirement for the eventual qualification of the Uganda Cranes for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations
Considering that the entire country lacks the recent experience of appearing in the final competitions, FUFA will rally the entire country to participate and support early preparations for the a decent performance in Sudan next February 2010. The Competitions Calendar will considerably be affected by the break in December for CECAFA and then February for the CHAN finals.
This is a golden opportunity to all the local players those in the team now and those outside it as selection will be based on the form at the time of selection. This will showcase the local talents to an influx of scouts for European cups and in the future do not rule out players that are already professional to consider returning home to this newly found route to home.
Finally the league will have a genuine reason to keep talent and therefore improve on the quality of league football
BRAVO the Cranes, BRAVO Bobby, BRAVO Lawrence Mulindwa, BRAVO FUFA and BRAVO to all Ugandans
