As the Uganda Cranes players board their plane to Ismailia, Egypt for a week-long training camp in the 2019 Afcon host nation, questions still linger on the minds of many football fanatics over the choice made by French coach Sebastien Desabre.
After the Cranes regional test match against Kampala region select that ended in a comprehensive 4-0 victory for the Cranes. Desabre named his final cut from the 31 locally based players he had summoned for a week long training.
However, and surprisingly, league top scorer Juma Balinnya and close challenger Bashir Mutanda were omitted from the 10 players picked by the French man for the Ismailia camp and consequently the Afcon qualifier against Tanzania
Balinnya and Mutanda both have a combined total of 29 goals between them and the inclusion of at least one of them could have had so much influence on the top division and justify their efforts given the Cranes already qualified for the tournament and the game does not carry much significance.
Balinnya has been the most consistent performer in the Uganda Premier League but has been overlooked for players who have been out of contract and have not played competitive football since January.
Timothy Awany (KCCA), Halid Lwaliwa (Vipers), Geofrey Walusimbi (Free Agent), Hassan Wasswa Mawanda (Free Agent), Tadeo Lwanga (Vipers), Ibrahim Sadam Juma (KCCA), Moses Waiswa (Vipers), Allan Kyambadde (KCCA, Uganda), Allan Okello and Henry Patrick Kaddu (KCCA) will join the 14 foreign based players in Egypt as the team prepares before the final game in Dar es salaam on Sunday, March 24, 2019.
Walusimbi has been a free agent since he was released by South African side Kaizer Chiefs but has been included while Wasswa is also not attached to any club.
Further still, Wasswa is suspended for the game against the Taifa Stars and therefore will not take part in the game whatsoever.
Waisswa on the other hand has not played enough football to justify his inclusion on the final squad given that the current FUFA player of the year’s form has been way off his usual levels and recently been dropped by his club Vipers.
The final team for Ismailia Camp:
Goalkeepers:
Denis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Salim Magoola (Al Hilal, South), Robert Odongkara (Adama City, Ethiopia)
Defenders:
Murushid Jjuuko (Simba, Tanzania), Timothy Awany (KCCA, Uganda), Halid Lwaliwa (Vipers, Uganda), Geofrey Walusimbi (Free Agent), Joseph Ochaya (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Kirizestom Ntambi (Ethiopian Coffee), Nico Wakiro Wadada (Azam, Tanzania)
Midfielders:
Khalid Aucho (Churchhill brothers, India), Milton Karisa (MC Oujda), Hassan Wasswa Mawanda (Free Agent), Tadeo Lwanga (Vipers, Uganda), Ibrahim Sadam Juma (KCCA, Uganda), Moses Waiswa (Vipers, Uganda), Moses Opondo (Vendsyssel FF, Denmark)
Forwards:
Faruku Miya (Gorica, Croatia), Emmanuel Arnold Okwi (Simba, Tanzania), Allan Kyambadde (KCCA, Uganda), Allan Okello (KCCA, Uganda), Edrisa Lubega (SV Ried, Austria), Muhammad Shaban (Raja Casablanca, Morocco), Henry Patrick Kaddu (KCCA, Uganda)
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