Andrew Mwanguhya
22 March 2011
Kampala — Striker Brian Umony will not travel for Saturday’s Nations Cup qualifier against Guinea Bissau after apparent work permit issues hindered his chance.
The Portland Timbers striker was named by coach Bobby Williamson in the final 18 on Sunday but he was replaced by Tanzanian-based Emma Okwi yesterday. “Umony is still chasing his work permit in the US. So we had to draft in Okwi who isn’t bad either,” said Fufa vice-president (technical) Livingston Kyambadde. Umony was, however, an unused substitute in their MLS game on Saturday.
Okwi was in the provisional 24 and recovered from injury to score in Simba’s 3-1 continental loss to Congo’s TP Mazembe at the weekend. But it’s the manner in which the situation was handled that raised eyebrows. Okwi’s late inclusion reached Daily Monitor before Bobby, an indictment on the coach’s authority on selection.
“I’m not aware,” Bobby said before asking where we had got the news, “They should have phoned me before they phoned you.” But Bobby later told us we shouldn’t read much into it. “It doesn’t mean anything. Somebody else presumed somebody else had informed me.” The coach in an exclusive interview with Sunday Monitor last month denied anyone influences his work.
Okwi was, meanwhile, due to join Andy Mwesigwa, Dennis Onyango, Hamza Muwonge, Simeon Masaba, Mike Mutyaba, Owen Kasule and Godfrey Walusimbi in Kampala last night before the team flies to Nairobi this morning, and then Dakar, Senegal.
Meeting in Senegal
Mwesigwa arrived from his FC Ordabasy team in Kazakhstan on Monday night while Onyango (Mpumalanga, SA) and Okwi (Simba, Tz) were due in last night. “We shall find Musa Mudde in Nairobi and connect with him,” said Cranes coordinator Crispus Muyinda, “He returned late from Cairo where his team (Sofapaka, Kenya) played (Caf Confederations Cup) at the weekend.
“Kayizzi (Vincent) will arrive in Dakar tomorrow morning while Nestroy (Kizito) is expected tomorrow night. Tickets have been sent to all the players and we expect them all in Senegal tomorrow (tonight).”
Muyinda revealed that, through the Senegalese Football Association, they received and sent letters to the players which they will present to the immigration on arrival at Dakar Airport to get visas. The team were due to fly to Nairobi aboard Kenya Airways at 5.30am today before connecting to Dakar where they will reach at 8.30pm Ugandan time.
They will train tomorrow and Thursday and connect to Bissau in the evening.
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