Africa-Press – Uganda. Ayub Khalifa can count on past and current relationships with the majority of the 35-man squad summoned to take care of Uganda’s Paris 2024 Olympic women’s football qualifiers.
Uganda are yet to name a substantive coach for the women’s senior national team yet they host Rwanda on July 11 before the sides face off in Huye a fortnight later.
With days running out fast, Fufa elected U-20 national women’s team coach Khalifa to handle the team as their new plan – to have the U-17 and U-20 coaches as assistants for the senior team’s coach – means he will be around the team for the foreseeable future anyway.
He too has previously made no secret of his intention to lead his country’s senior team and is said to have applied for the head coach’s job when it fell vacant in March.
Familiar faces
He has worked with the majority of the 35-man squad and just weeks ago with the U-18 squad, whose Cecafa Championship in Nairobi has been postponed, expressed how “important” it is for a time-barred coach to work with a squad of individuals they understand very well.
He summoned goalkeepers Daphine Nyayenga and Sharon Kaidu, whom he worked with in previous U-20 and U-17 engagements. But he also coached captain Ruth Aturo during her formative years at Kawempe Muslim.
For the defenders, Khalifa has his Kawempe players Jolly Kobusinge, Shakira Nankwanga and Aisha Nantongo in tow. But he also brought Samalie Nakacwa and Asia Nakibuuka through the ranks before they joined Kampala Queens. Khalifa also coached Stella Musibika before she joined She Corporate.
At U-17 and U-20 level, he worked with Patience Nabulobi and Sumaya Komuntale thereby leaving Shadia Nankya, Lukiya Namubiru and Desire Katisi Natooro as the players whose characters he will have to study.
Among the midfielders, Zaituni Namaganda, Shamirah Nalugya, Shakirah Nyinagahirwa, Hadijah Nandago and Rhoda Nanziri will be familiar with Khalifa’s work. But Joan Nabirye, Phiona Nabbumba and Elizabeth Nakigozi are experienced enough to work with a new coach.
Selection headache
For the strikers, Fauzia Najjemba, Hasifah Nassuna, Zaina Nandede, Sandra Nabweteme, Catherine Nagadya, Margaret Kunihira and Anita Namata could all credit the coach for their careers. Resty Nanziri, Ashiat Naluggwa, Fazila Ikwaput and Joanita Ainembabazi have also been in good form and will give Khalifa selection headaches.
Players Khalifa has worked with before
Kawempe: Anita Namata, Rhoda Nanziri, Shakirah Nankwanga, Jolly Kobusinge, Hasifah Nassuna, Sandra Nabweteme, Ruth Aturo
U-17/U-20 National team: Fauzia Najjemba, Zaina Nandede, Catherine Nagadya, Zaitun Namaganda, Patience Nabulobi, Sumaya Komuntale, Sharon Kaidu, Daphine Nyayenga
Both U-17/U-20 & Kawempe Muslim: Margaret Kunihira, Shamirah Nalugya, Shakirah Nyinagahirwa, Hadijah Nandago, Aisha Nantongo, Asia Nakibuuka, Samalie Nakacwa, Stella Musibika.
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