Uganda: No Flying Back

Fred Kaweesi

26 March 2011

CRANES’ pre-match training camp in Senegal was prompted by a financial crisis. Yet although the decision to have the home and foreign based players regroup in Dakar was a move taken to overcome a looming crisis, the Cranes have come to apreciate the positives that came with it.

Although the decision was inclined towards reducing on travel costs for the entire game in West Africa, Cranes coach Bobby Williamson and captain Ibrahim Sekagya feel the move was a blessing in disguise and one that should replicated for future assignements.

“I hope this continues. This arrangement helps players, especially those in Europe to avoid fatigue and stress. Then, the concentration levels are also better,” Williamson told Sunday Vision yesterday.

Williamson was clearly pleased to have three days of closed and intensive training in Dakar and two in Bissau -a bonus that would have passed had the team travelled to Kampala for regrouping with barely any time to train before their 10-hour journey to Bissau.

“We should have more of this also for the friendly games. We are able to play sides anywhere in Europe, with less money spent as regards travel on players. Several countries do that and we can do that with proper planning,” Sekagya hinted.

“These are just a few issues we tend to ignore but are basic while preparing for big matches. You waste so much time waiting for players to arrive in Kampala and yet much would have been done if camps were held in areas close the host nations. If you have a league game on Sunday with your club and have to travel hours for an internaional game, it takes alot from the players.

“We will also have to recognize the role of the kits manager too, so that players don’t have to spend time planning what to dress, when and where. He is an important factor in a team,” Sekagya added.

Soccer governing body FUFA has already taken the right direction in trying to improve the image of the team.

For the second successive time, the Cranes donned quality grey blazers for an away match, the second of three sets the team owns, that left all in admiration on arrival at Bissau’s Aerotarp airport here.

“Image of a team is everything. You must feel a winner off the pitch just as on the pitch and we will do anything to achieve that,” FUFA president Mulindwa stated yesterday.

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