Uganda/Guinea Bissau: Nation Recalls Simba’s Okwi

Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)

23 March 2011

Simba’s Ugandan striker Emmanuel Okwi recalled to join the Cranes squad after initially being dropped alongside teammate, Patrick Ochan for Saturday’s African Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier against Guinea Bissau.

Okwi was given lastminute call to replace Brian Umony, who was named by coach Bobby Williamson in the final 18 on Sunday but forced out of the trip after apparent work permit issues hindered his chance.

“Umony is still chasing his work permit in the US. So we had to draft in Okwi who isn’t bad either,” Uganda’s Daily Monitor quoted Fufa official Livingston Kyambadde as saying.

Okwi was in the provisional 24 and recovered from injury to score in Simba’s 3-1 African Champions League 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 Williamson, 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 Williamson later said that people shouldn’t read much into it, “It doesn’t mean anything.

Somebody presumed somebody else had informed me.” Youngster Mike Mutyaba made to the team that missed notable names like Simba’s brawny midfielder Patrick Ochan and Hassan Wasswa (Altay, Turkey) who were earlier named in the provisional 24-man team.

Mutyaba travelled with the team to the Nile Basin tournament in Cairo, Egypt in January but it’s his Africa Nations Championship (Chan) promising performance that impressed Williamson.

“Mutyaba will travel with us. The boy impressed me and he’s got lots of potential,” the Scottish said.

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