Uganda Cranes and Vipers FC striker Yunus Sentamu was recognized in absentia last night with a Nile Special/USPA prestigious award and a cash prize of five hundred thousand (500,000 UGX). His scintillating form inform of goal during the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) in South Africa earned him the monthly accolade for January. The diminutive player scored Uganda’s only three goals at CHAN finals before Cranes bowed out at the group stage. The award is given to the best performers each month by the sports scribes under their body-Uganda sports Press Association (USPA).
The awards ceremony took place at the Lugogo tennis club on Thursday night. Uganda Cranes coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic and FUFA 2nd Vice President Darius Mugoye attended the function.
Peter Sebulime who spotted Sentamu as a ten year old boy in Kasese, revealed that the Vipers striker was a very good goalkeeper but it was not easy to convince him to play upfront.
‘Sentamu is a principled player who loves football. I was so happy to see him play for Cranes in CHAN. He is a hero back home in Kasese’ said Sebulime who gave a brief history of the player’s journey from Kasese to the Cranes.
The Uganda Cranes coach who excited the guests by showing his rare dancing strokes was convinced that the award went to the right person.
‘He has a bright future in football. Discipline is paramount if all players want to reach greater heights’ said Sredojevic.
In his brief speech, the FUFA VP said that the federation is in the final stages of setting up schools of excellence in the eight football regions which will help spot young talent.
‘The federation will continue to support youth football. The senior team needs a pool of talent and that is why FUFA is starting up such projects’ said Mugoye.
Photo: From (L-R) Peter Sebulime (coach who spotted Yunus), USPA President Mark Namanya, Cranes coach Micho and FUFA VP Darius Mugoye
Photo Credit: John Batanudde
