Daily Monitor
Saturday January 30 2021
Bad flops. McKinstry (right) and his assistant Mubiru during the Cranes preparation for the Chan tournament. Photo/EDDIE ChiCCO
Summary
The biggest criticism that McKinstry faces, however, has been failure to impact his methods to the players.
The team is believed to have needed experienced heads and the versatile Denis Iguma was one of the players expected to provide it.
Advertisement
There has been considerable disappointment and, in some instances, anger following Cranes elimination at the group stage of the African Nations Championship in Cameroon.
While this was a fifth appearance in which the Cranes merely toured host countries and honoured their group fixtures, most of the blame is being directed at head coach Johnny McKinstry and understandably so.
We are very pleased following our second game here in Cameroon after what was a very positive performance against the host Nation a few days ago with 10 men, McKinstry said after the win. We decided to basically change everybody in the team. We made 10 changes in the starting lineup but maintained one in Tonny Mawejje and that was purely to make sure the midfield had the right balance. We knew before the game that he would come out at half-time and Shafik Kagimu would come in. We knew what substitutes would be made. The players knew what would happen at half time. Overall, I thought that the 10 players who came in put up a good performance.
news
Changes for Togo tie Andrew Mwanguhya Tomorrow will significantly dictate Uganda’s direction at the sixth edition of the African Nations Championship (Chan) finals in Cameroon. Coach Johnny McKinstry and his home-based players should perhaps plug into Eminem’s Lose Yourself to psych themselves up for the job at hand. One opportunity “Look,” goes the American rapper, “If you had one shot, or one opportunity. To seize everything you ever wanted. “In one moment. Would you capture it or just let it slip?” Tomorrow’s crunch Group C game against Chan debutants, Togo - who will also be looking for a lease of life after going down to Morocco in their opener - is that one opportunity. The Cranes, who drew goalless with Rwanda on Monday night, must win if they are to go into the final group game against defending champions Morocco next week with a big chance of progressing. And for that to happen McKinstry will need his best players to come to the part
Yes, we acknowledge that this limits our preparations a little bit. As a national team coach, we would want to have all our players from day one of our training camps but equally we want our club teams to be successful in continental competitions, so for us, we are supporting KCCA as they try to push forward in their competition as we would support any Ugandan team in continental competition.
The youthful Cranes tactician has confirmed the Garbage Collectors players will join the national team at a later date. He has, however, challenged those who will report early to prove they have what it takes to deserve a place in the final squad.