By Leilah Bbaale
The Uganda Cranes will play an international friendly match with West African powerhouse Mali in the next FIFA international break.
FUFA Communications Officer Ahmed Hussein said that this friendly had been planned earlier before Micho Sredojević was sacked as coach. He said that FUFA has continued with the technical and sporting preparations of the team by lining up an international friendly match with Mali on 13 October 2023.
Hussein who did not provide further details about who would be in charge of the team during the friendly said that the match will be played at Stade du 26 Mars in Bamako.
FUFA sacked Micho following a terrible Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign where they finished in third place with seven points, falling just one point short of the Taifa Stars, who secured their spot as group runners-up with eight points.
FUFA subsequently dissolved the entire technical bench of the Uganda Cranes and therefore started looking for a Head Coach, and an assistant Coach, a position that was recently occupied by Moses Basena, Goalkeeping trainer, previously held by Fred Kajoba and the strength and Conditioning coach.
FUFA made it clear that these job opportunities are open to both Ugandan and non-Ugandan applicants. Furthermore, coaches who have previously held these positions are encouraged to apply for these full-time positions.
Last week, Hussein says by September 23rd which was the deadline for submitting the applications for the job of the Uganda Cranes Coach, they had received 245 applicants for the Head coach job of which only 2 applicants were Ugandans.
Hussein also said that they had received 34 applicants for the assistant head coach job where only two were Ugandans, 24 applicants for the strength and conditioning job where only 5 were Ugandans, and seven applicants for the goalkeeping coach job where only one was a Ugandan.
