Uganda Cranes coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic on his his return from holiday, released the programme for the National team’s training ahead of the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) Finals that kicks off on 16th January to 7th February in Rwanda.
‘No team has ever succeeded with all players being young. We have a mixture of youth and competitive experience. The experienced players will need to help the young players in the team’ said Micho shortly after handing over the list to Communications Manager Ahmed Hussein for publication.
‘We shall still have 70% of U-23 players and 30% of experience in the final 23man squad for the CHAN finals’ added Micho.
The programme starts with a two day non residential training at Nakivubo stadium on Saturday 2nd January and Sunday 3rd January for pre-selection from a 30 man group of players.
Micho further said ‘After CECAFA many players that were in Ethiopia, have not shown consistence in competitive form and in order to give chance to a wider pool of players to fight for the Uganda Cranes jersey, the pre-selection will bring out the true current form and quality’
The Squad will later be reduced by seven players to accommodate another set of 7 players on Monday morning for gym session at Acacia Mall at 10am.
The 7 players are; Ismail Watenga(Vipers), Kigonya Mathias (Bright Stars), Okoth Denis (KCCA), Richard Kasaga (URA), Muwanga Bernard (Bright Stars), Erisa Sekisambu (Vipers) and Mutayba Muzamir (KCCA).
At the end of the Monday training session, four more players will be released from camp.
The training session on Tuesday 5th January will see Micho welcome captain Faruku Miya (Vipers), Ochaya Joseph (KCCA), Ivan Ntege (KCCA) and Okhuti (Express FC) from which he will name his final 23 man squad to enter residential camp at the FUFA Technical Centre in Njeru.
Micho who will be at the CHAN Finals with Uganda Cranes for the second successive time says that
‘ We have no doubt that our players know how to play football but we want to work very hard and together as this will be the only measurement for getting results’
Uganda Cranes will camp in Njeru from 5th-17th January before flying to Rwanda for the group D matches against Mali on 19th January, Zambia on 23rd and Zimbabwe on 27th in Rubavu.
Squad to train on 2nd and 3rd January, 2016 at Nakivubo stadium
Goalkeepers: Alitho James (Vipers), Kisembo Douglas (Police FC)
Defenders: Nsubuga Joseph (Bright Stars), Bukenya Deus (Vipers), Muleme Isaac (SC Villa Jogoo), Waibi Yeseri (SC Villa Jogoo), Hassan Wasswa Dazzo (KCCA), Shafik Bakaki (Vipers), Ibrahim Kiyemba (Lweza), Ibrahim Kiiza (Express FC), Sadat Kyambadde (Police), Timothy Musinguzi (Soana), Timothy Awany (KCCA)
Midfielders: Ambrose Kirya (SC Villa Jogoo), Keziron Kizito (Vipers), Rahmat Senfuka (Police), Basoma Andrew (Sadolin), Francis Olaki (Soana), Tony Odour (Express), Milton Karisa (BUL), Mike Ndera (BUL), Faruku Kawooya (SCVU), Martin Kiiza (SC Villa Jogoo)
Strikers: Robert Ssentongo (URA), Geoffrey Sserunkuma (Lweza), Kalanda Frank (URA), Ndugwa Karim (SC Villa Jogoo), Lubega Edris (Proline) Nelson Senkatuka (KCCA), Richard Wandyaka (JMC)
Uganda Cranes detailed training programme for 2016 CHAN Finals:
January, 2016
2nd Saturday: Training at Nakivubo, 9am
3rd Sunday: Training at Nakivubo stadium, 9am
4th Monday: Gym work at Acacia Mall, 10am
5th Tuesday: Gym work at Acacia Mall, 10am, Micho names final 23 man squad to enter residential camp at FUFA Technical Centre, Njeru.
10th Sunday: Uganda vs Gabon, FUFA Technical Centre, Njeru
13th Wednesday: Uganda vs Cameroon, FUFA Technical Centre, Njeru
PHOTO: Micho explaining to the FUFA Communications Manager Ahmed Hussein the detailed training programme for Uganda Cranes.