Mckinstry positive despite prolonged COVID-19 break, closely monitors all players

Uganda Cranes head coach Johnathan Mckinstry is full of hope that the beautiful game will soon return not only in Uganda but across the world when the COVID-19 pandemic has been aggressively battled.

In a special interview with the FUFA website, the Northern Irishman who won the CECAFA 2019 Senior Challenge Cup with Uganda last December in Kampala is optimistic that the current situation will be overcome as he also calls for patience as CAF and FIFA are yet to come up with their official stand.

Obviously, everyone is waiting for guidance from FIFA and CAF in terms of how we are going to proceed. We have international windows in September, October and November and hopefully the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in January 2021. I know there are lots of discussions going on if we shall go on or postponed. At the moment, if we can start to play in September. We have four games in that window. But nobody knows how this pandemic is going to unfold. Progress is being monitored not only here in Uganda but across the African continent because If one of our opponents is still struggling with the pandemic, then we can not play. We patiently waiting. The other thing most of the people are not aware about is that in football, when you are making plans, you plan backwards from the moment you are due to play. So, if you do not know when you are going to play, it makes the planning process difficult. That also puts us in a difficult situation Everybody is in the same scenario.

Johnathan McKinstry, Uganda Cranes head coach

Mckinstry experienced a similar lockdown situation in 2014 when he was head coach of the Sirrea Leone national time at a time the Ebola epidemic hit most countries in West Africa.

This is a new situation for the entire world. I do not think anyone has experienced this situation in the entire world. I faced a similar situation in 2014 unfortunately in Sirrea Leone during the Ebola pandemic. It posed very unique challenges and some of which are quite similar. We have not figured out the best way forward. The current epidemic is something new to everybody in the entire world.

Johnathan McKinstry, Uganda Cranes head coach

Monitoring the players:

McKinstry has further revealed that he is closely monitoring all the foreign based and locally based players in this lockdown period via an online platform that was created specifically for that purpose.

We are actively working in the background. We are in constant communication with the players and discussions with them every day. We have an online learning platform for all our players where every week we are engaging not just our foreign based players but also the home based players. Aware that some players have robust training programmes by their respective clubs, we are acting as a supplementary for them and many of them have sent pictures to show the amount of space they have as we advise according on what kind of drills they can do.

Johnathan McKinstry, Uganda Cranes head coach

Already, It is good news for McKinstry that some players have started being engaged as the lockdown is getting eased in most countries as Israel, Denmark and Turkey.

Also,players as Faruku Miya and William Luwagga Kizito have optimally utilized the lockdown to get fully recovered from their respective injuries.

In fact, Luwagga played 65 minutes Hapoel Kfar Saba’s goalless draw away to Bnei Yehuda on Monday.

In the same Israel league, Timothy Awany’s Ashdod overcame Hapoel Ra’anana 3-2 at the Yud-Alef Stadium in Ashdod city.

Luwagga and his Hapoel Kfar Saba teammates return to action at their HaMoshava fortress against Hapel Ra’anana on Saturday, 6^th June 2020.

On the same day, Ashdod visits Ironi Kiryat Shmona at the Kiryat Shmona Municipal Stadium.

Recently, Robert Kakeeto recently played for 90 minutes in AaB’s one all draw with Esbjerg at the Blue Water Arena.

This Sunday, 7^th June 2020, Aab will host AGF at their 13797 seater Aalborg Portland Park Arena in Aalborg city.

*Additional quotes by www.fufa.co.ug

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