Okwi is out of the Cranes set up

Cranes head coach Milutin Sredojević Micho has taken the bull by the horn in his bravest move to announce to drop star striker Emma Okwi and send message to his stars that no body is indispensable.

Micho had appointed Okwi the Cranes captain after celebrated goalkeeper Denis Onyango decided to rest his gloves. However, the striker whose Egyptian club Al Ittihad Alexandria Club released him has been in the country without a club.

The national coach in his latest summons for the double header against Rwanda, has turned a blind eye by leaving out Okwi who he used in the opening World Cup Qualifier against Kenya in Nairobi.

Micho instead summoned on song Vipers SC forward Yunus Ssentamu, Israeli based Fahad Bayo, KCCA FC attackers Anaku Sadat and Charles Lwanga and URA pair Mukwala Steven and Rwothomio Cromwell.

It had become a habit for some Cranes stars to assume they must start whether or not they had no clubs. The likes of Hassan Wasswa among other stars used to keep in Kampala and get summoned for national duty. Lately, Okwi who too would stay in Kampala without a club but go on to be summoned ahead of players actively playing for their clubs.

Micho in his return to a country he calls home appears wants to get the team to better levels. This will require him to summon the right players to help his cause. Many of these players, precisely Okwi has worked under him and delivered at so many times.

However, the striker has not been playing actively and should not expect the coach to sympathise with him. Okwi is in his evening playing days and can not help himself by expecting to be selected when he is not actively involved in the game.

The striker aside, Micho will know the double header against Amavubi stars of Rwanda is the best possible opportunity he has of making it. Kenya has appeared stubborn from the first game of the Cranes fixtures. But Rwanda has always not proved to be an easy affair and will not this time either.

The Cranes have so many players in this current squad without volumes of experience which could turn out to be a turn off ahead of this double header fixture. Micho can only boost of Khalid Awucho, Ssentamu, South Africa based midfielder Moses Waiswa, Tadeo Lwanga and Denis Iguma who have played consistently for the team.

Micho will heavily bank himself UPL top scorer and prolific Vipers SC striker Ssentamu to tame Rwanda. The striker’s latest outing saw him bag four goals at the finals of the Stanbic Uganda Cup which his club lifted at FUFA Technical Cente at Njeru last month.

Moses Waiswa who has been nursing injuries is back playing for his club and should bring a wealth of experience at the heart of the midfield and help invigorate the young stars.

Israeli based Timothy Awany is the man to look out for in the team’s defence. However, Micho will have headache picking out his partner from the new boys since Vipers SC star Halid Lwaliwa and Juuko are all out. KCCA FC right back Denis Iguma and US based left back Kizza Mustafa should complete his back line.

South Africa based Ismail Watenga should go between the sticks ahead of Ethiopia based Charles Lukwago. However, both goalkeepers have what it takes to deliver for the nation.

The Squad of 25 players to Rwanda

1-Lukwago Charles, 2-Watenga Isma, 3-Alionzi Nafian, 4-Wafula Innocent, 5-Poloto Julius, 6-Muleme Isaac , 7-Kayondo Aziz , 8-Awanyi Timothy, 9-Najib Fesali, 10-Walusimbi Enock , 11-Mulondo Livingstone , 12-Waswa Geofrey , 13-Aucho Khalid ,14-Waiswa Moses, 15-Lwanga Tadeo , 16-Byaruhanga Bobosi, 17-Iguma Denis, 18-Kagimu Shafik, 19-Orit Ibrahim, 20-Kizza Martin, 21-Kizza Mustafa, 22-Sentamu Yunus, 23-Rwothomio Cromwell, 24-Mukwala Steven, 25-Bayo Fahad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LolsiWeJtQw