By 
Morocco’s success at the World Cup may be best story of the tournament so far, but it is not a result of luck and grit, but rather expertise and planning.
The Atlas Lions got out of the group stages for the first time in 36 years.
Morocco is also the African Nations Championship champion – a continental tournament where nations put out teams exclusively featuring players who play domestically – while the women’s team came second in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year and qualified for its first World Cup.
Therefore the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FMRF) should be credited with the Atlas Lions’ success at Qatar 2022, something that has started paying off after 20 years.
Relating to what the situation is in Uganda, a country that has played in seven editions of the Africa Cup of Nations and no FIFA World Cup engagement at all, there are always high hopes in all the qualification rounds.
In a document penned down by former Cranes player Gibby Kalule who just like every passionate Ugandan is rooting for Morocco to go as far as possible in the tournament.
However he highlights and thinks that the Football Federation in Uganda has gone wrong in its pursuit of a World Cup qualification for Uganda Cranes.
He says he was disturbed to see the Ugandan FA’s shortsightedness in declaring that our Path way to the World Cup is surrendering our rights of football development to Moroccans with the so called agreements. Leaving the question to many, why Morocco?
“No wonder the international exclusion of the objectivity minded Ex-internationals and former players input in the FUFA Assembly and a FUFA constitution in preference to a few compromised former players that make cameo appearances in the Annual Uganda Football assembly paved way for such disastrous blunders leaving the countries financial resources from the Government, sponsors and FIFA exposed and at risk with no checks.” he said
With examples, he added that he would like to remind FA President Hon. Moses Magogo that his past dealings with the Moroccans which saw him upgrade his Students such as Sabastien Desabre( Pyramids FC) didn’t last 3 months, Joel Madondo (4 months), Shaban Mohamed, Patrick Kaddu, Nelson Ssenkatuka all did not yeild and wonders if he’s done any homework to find out why.
“So just like we surrendered our mandate to select a national coach to a competing rival in Zambia a few years ago, we could only settle for a journey man at a very high cost in Micho who later got sacked (after 3 months).”
“Before getting sacked in North Africa after two months , it’s another time to Remind the Budiope Member of Parliament that Progressive National football decisions should never be made of a furore” he added
Creating awareness that FUFA should know that the current Moroccan team set up of players has been a two decades hard work after they went missing at four World Cups from 2002 to 2016 and 90 percent of their current team plays in the European Clubs, a foundation that was laid by the Moroccan FA.
“This all was created at all levels both grass root and local competitions to attract elite clubs in Europe that have polished these players.” he says
Adding that by no way will Masaza branded players that get summoned to the Cranes after game and competitions like Cranes Namutima will get us no where.
“If with 40 billion a year budget plus 5 million which is the Annual FIFA support can’t get us to AFCON, no quality stadiums then how many trillions would we need to hand the Moroccans?” he asked
“How would such a huge investment impact our young athletes that play their trade at home and endure long periods of unpaid salaries?”
Kalule also made it known that at the completion of every World Cup, each Federation gets a Lion share from World Cup revenue, one that is estimated to be a minimum of 10-20 million US dollars and with hope that our Ugandan schools, Academies and other football organizations that contribute to the development of the game can smile all the way in the 2023/24 season.
He concluded by talking about the Morocco’s head coach and how widely traveled and experienced with his country at heart which contradicts the Ugandan FA approach.
Further saying that the Federation not only undermines proven football personnel that boast of immense experience such as Coach Patrick Kabuye( based in German and educated in the USA), former Uganda Cranes coach Mike Mutebi (who was once Uganda Cranes Coach), former Uganda Cranes, KCCA defender Ibra Ssekajja.
“The above people have scouted and developed players such as myself Ibra Ssekajja, Wilson Gayi, Allan Okello, Ahmed Ssenyage, Former Uganda Cranes and many others.”
With all that was put down by Kalule, it is on record that Mike Mutebi refused to become the Uganda Cranes with claims that he was concentrating on KCCA
For New York Red Bulls II head coach Ssekajja he was part of the Uganda Cranes coaching staff in 2017 as an assistant to Micho.
