Pre- CHAN Tri Nations Tournament (17th -21st March) Uganda, Zambia and Mali at Namboole stadium.
Dates:
17th March Uganda vs Zambia
19th March 2020 Mali vs Zambia
21st March 2020 Uganda vs Mali
After the Uganda Cranes Coach Johnathan McKinstry summoned his CHAN Squad last week, there was little time to waste as the players reported to camp on Sunday evening at the Cranes Paradise Hotel in Kisasi.
Real business got underway on Monday morning with the training at GEMS Cambridge International School in Butabika when thirty one (31) of the thirty-four summoned players attended the first training session.
Under the watchful eye of Johnathan McKinstry the head coach with his assistants Abdallah Mubiru, Livingstone Mbabazi, Fred Kajoba the goalkeeping coach and Alex McCathy the Physical fitness trainer, the players had some fitness drills before doing ball work for the day’s program.
McKinstry couldn’t hide his excitement after the players positive response and below is what he said after training.
‘It’s been a good first day, we got all the players in last night for their medical checkings, so the body mass, body fat, all of those sorts of things. So, everyone registered last night, we had a team meeting to outline our expectations for the coming weeks so everyone was clear on what we are looking for. And yet today it’s been a good first day, you got to remember we’ve got sort of 4-5 weeks until the tournament kicks off and now it’s a step by step process obviously some of these boys were part of our group during the CECAFA tournament so they are a little bit ahead in terms of our playing model. The team has got four players in the group who haven’t worked with me as a coach before so they have to sort of learn somethings in terms of how just we want to play as a team, but I think today was a good start for them and the boys who have been with us before helped raise the intensity levels today so for our day one. The intensity was there you can see all the boys are pleased to be here.We looked at a few different options, we could have had the training camp in Kampala but we want our training base to be as similar as possible to what we will experience in Cameroon. Now we can’t get everything exactly the same but look the field here is a good quality grass field and it’s only going to get better. We’ve got the flood lights here which is great at the Cambridge international school because it means as you may be aware our three group games in Cameroon will all kickoff at 8 O’clock in the evening so they will be played under the lights.We have the facility here to train under the lights on occasions which we will do.We think here we’ve found a good home for the next month and am also certain that we are looking forward to a good month here but we hope it’s a relationship that can continue for the months and years ahead for the Cranes‘
Full squad
Goalkeepers: Lukwago Charles- KCCA, Mutakubwa, Joel- Kyetume, Alionzi Nafian-URA, Keni, Saidi- SC Villa, Kiwanuka Edwin-Bright Stars
Defenders: Kizza Mustapha-KCCA, Ndahiro Derrick-SC Villa, Achai Herbert-KCCA, Willa Paul- Vipers, Mandela Ashraf, Wasswa Geoffry-Vipers, Lwaliwa Halid-Vipers, Mbowa Patrick Revita John-KCCA, Kato Samuel- KCCA, Mujuzi Musitafa- Proline
Midfielders: Kagimu Shafique-URA, Saidi Kyeyune- URA, Anukani Bright-Proline, Mucureezi, Paul-Vipers, Mutyaba Mike- KCCA, Watambala Karim- Vipers, Ssenyonjo, Hassan Wakiso- Giants, Owori David- SC Villa, Olit Ibrahim-Mbarara City, Poloto Julius KCCA,
Forwards: Kigozi Samson, Ssekajjugo Vianne- Wakiso Giants, Karisa Milton-Vipers, Ojera Joackiam-URA, Bayo Fahad-Vipers, Mukwala Stephen-Maroons , Cromwell Rwothomio-URA, Ahebwa Brian-Mbarara City
