Magogo keeps trust in Micho as all national team coaches are sacked

Local football governing body, FUFA has announced the sacking of all members of the technical benches for all the national teams, except for the Cranes.

All positions of the ten football national teams are vacant with the exception of the Uganda Cranes positions. FUFA president Moses Magogo announced on Thursday.

Micho and FUFA president, Eng.Moses Magogo during the former's unveiling (Photo by Francis Isaano).

The affected national teams include the U-20 also known as the Hippos which was being coached by Jackson Mayanja, U-23(Kobs), U-17(the Cubs) and the U-15 also known as the Rhinos in the men’s category.

The axes has also not spared the technical teams in the women’s category including the Crested Cranes, the Queen Cranes(U-20), Teen Cranes(U-17) but also the beach soccer national team, the Sand Cranes and the Futsal team, the Nile Cranes.

Magogo said the positions of the goalkeeping coaches and fitness trainers across all the national teams are as well vacant.

“We call upon all competent Ugandans to apply for these jobs when the process opens up,”Magogo said.

He however noted that the move was sanctioned by the 28th FUFA Executive Committee meeting.

Trust in Micho

Following a dismal display by the Cranes, several Ugandans have called for the sacking of the team coach, Serbian tactician, Milutin Sredjovic Micho .

Many said his tactics are outdated.

However, the FUFA president there is still trust in the Serbian tactician to make good.

Consequently, Micho and his senior national team assistants were left intact.

“As Ugandans, we may not be happy about the results the national team is getting but we must also face the reality. Transition of teams is a reality and the only route you can take to get back. We don’t want to make rushed decisions. As FUFA, we are giving ourselves time and we will make assessment after the qualification campaign,”Magogo said.

Magogo insisted that Micho needs to be supported and given more time and that assessing his performance will be done after the AFCON qualification campaign.

“What has made us stand the test of time is that we are not emotional when taking these decisions, if we took them emotionally, so many things could have gone wrong. We sit down, reflect before acting accordingly. Let’s give him more time to conclude this campaign.”

Uganda needed a late strike from second half substitute, Rogers Mato to beat Tanzania 1-0 to keep the country’s hopes of qualifying for the forthcoming edition of the African Nations Cup alive.

Uganda are now on level with Tanzania on four points below Algeria that have already qualified in group F.

The Cranes will now have to beat Algeria, then pray for Niger to beat Tanzania.

The calculations will also require that Uganda beat Niger and then Algeria beat Tanzania.

Such has been the state of affairs for many years as the Cranes needed such complex calculations to qualify for the continental football showpiece and on most occasions, it has ended in tears.