THE UGANDA – EGYPT SAD AFFAIR.

Posted on by Edris Matu Segawa

It is Official, Egypt is the number one sworn enemy to most Ugandans. Mbu ‘ we should cut off the River Nile supply and redirect it to Congo!’ (this hatred is becoming something else.)

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The Uganda Cranes lost to Egypt and this was rather a predictable disappointment but as any hopeful citizen, I had previously predicted Uganda would win the AFCON 2017. Silly me. Maybe we should aim for the world cup! At this point I am desperate for anything.

With little effort or input, most of we Ugandans always seem to expect miracles. (God help us .) If anything, this heartbreaking loss to Egypt should serve as an eye opener for Uganda. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

Great football nations like Brazil, German and Spain have consciously embedded football into their country’s vision and way of living. The sport is not an after meal that could be left on a plate. It is a recognized job opportunity for the youth and a lucrative industry for their economies. In the 90s, Uganda was known for it’s agricultural exports, then came oil (a very delicate subject) and now I am honestly not sure what Uganda is all about.

Today we are supporting football, tomorrow rugby and the other day politicians are fighting! Get it together teenage girl, you will not have all the boys at school! (Oops that was another conversation)

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Taking away from the two AFCON 2017 games, the boys lost to Ghana on a penalty and to Egypt on a last minute lucky chance. This is what happens to even the best of teams, sometimes you just don’t have the edge to win.

Uganda Cranes is embodied by a young hungry competitive spirit and skilled players that have a winning mind. (Ignore the Massa catastrophe) The likes of Muhamad Shaban, Joseph Ocaya and Farouk Miiya could as well be playing in the premier League but we need to prepare for the future of soccer.

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The governemt should start setting up and support already existing football academies to groom tomorrow’s Messi not a lawyer or pilot as we were told in the 90’s. (There is even no serious piloting school in Uganda but we were encouraged to aim for the job. Perplexing!)

The time is now to embrace the future. We shall not win the AFCON if we have one training stadium and no sport Academies. I humbly ask that our parliament starts discussing such issues and let the Golden Hand shake alone. We have one of the best Armies in Africa because those boys are trained hard. Choppers, tanks and all. (Chuck Norris has nothing on these guys) Sports needs serious funding because it will bring in as equally much and more!

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Most university graduands are jobless because they are studying for jobs already occupied by older candidates who are not willing to let go. This is an evolving era. A time that needs the youth to branch out to other industries. Sports, music and other creative studies are the way to go.

I love Uganda and I love sports. You and I should pave way for our grandchildren.

On Wednesday 25th, the Cranes will play their last AFCON 2017 game against Mali. Even though a win is pointless for us, I am hopelessly yearning for it.  The boys need to come home with some restored confidence. The next competitive games are the world cup qualifiers. (Not a joke)  If qualifying for big championships is our thing these days, I will happily settle for a place in the world cup!!! THE WORLD CUP (Are you this excited? I hope you are.)

lastly, Egypt is not Uganda’s enemy YOU PEOPLE ARE. kindly move on to better days.

 

 

UGANDA CRANES TO WIN AFCON’2017

Posted on by Edris Matu Segawa

YES, you did not read the title wrong. I wrote it with a sound mind and no coercion.

It’s been 38 years since Uganda played in the AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS, 1978 to be exact. Over three decades, we have made futile attempts to qualify for the competition. Frustratingly, It’s always been one of those ‘so close’ moments followed by major let downs! Finally, UGANDA CRANES didn’t do the obvious and disappoint. The boys played it hard, beat Comoros and qualified for the African Cup of Nations ( FYI this is like the Euro Cup  for those non football fans, that is if you even know what the Euro cup is)

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Now that we are playing in the AFCON 2017, what should Uganda expect?

Some fans say, ‘ A qualification is enough, at least we QUALIFIED!’,but what use is qualifying if we don’t even think we can win! ( Look at what Leicester City did in the premier League.) I strongly believe that as Ugandans, we need to be more hopeful and positive towards the Uganda Cranes. Without supporting our own, we are simply letting ourselves down. (Am talking to you FUFA and the Ministry of sports!)

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The team has strongly relied on goalkeeper and African player of the Year, DENIS ONYAGO. Who by the way is ranked number 10 ahead of Arsenal’s Peter Chech, as one the best goal keepers in the world. (..and Uganda can’t even promote this guy. Oba tuli kuki?) Midfielder Farouk Miya, who scored the winning goal for Uganda and the likes of Emmanuel Okwi, Geofrey Massa, Tony Mawejje have been equally influential and of course club coach and manager Milutin ‘Miicho’ Sredojevic who has triumphed where other managers came so close.

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Our team is good. Some might not know it, but The Uganda Cranes team was awarded the best national team of the year by CAF last year. So yeah, the team is good, but even the best of the best can be let down by lack of support.

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Most Ugandan football fans know almost every European league player from the famous Messi, Ronaldo, Rooney to retired Maradona. These Ugandans faithfully support Manchester united and Chelsea, but if you asked them about Uganda cranes, that’s a sad story. This misguided support and love for these international leagues, is a result of us neglecting our own in preference to better neighbors. Mbu ‘eno season tugenda kugula abazanyi and we shall win the premier league.!’ We? You and whom?

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Uganda Cranes sits in GROUP D with African football giants Ghana, Mali and Egypt. This looks bad for Uganda, all these teams are no strange visitors to the African Cup of Nations competition, but we need to let our boys know that ‘YES WE CAN‘. As the saying goes, it’s all about mentality. If you believe you can win then there is no limit to what you can do. Sadly, I bumped into one of the Uganda Cranes players (Yes, I also talk to stars) and he didn’t have the belief that they would even exceed the group stages! It got me worried that our boys are not encouraged to exceed expectations.

From here on, the media, football institutions and the government of Uganda need to wake up and popularize football and sports at large in Uganda. West Africa is doing it, lets jump onto the train and not be left behind. The premier league and other European football leagues support country economies annually. (imagine the money Uganda can make.)

The African Cup of Nations 2017 kicks off this Saturday 14th January but Uganda dives into it’s first game against Ghana on 17th January. (Am positive we can win this game.)

Enjoy the games and lets support our team to VICTORY!!!

True Supporter

 

Complicated New year Resolutions

Posted on by Edris Matu Segawa

December holidays are always that time you get to rest and have a break from tiring work schedules, annoying but lovely people and have a chance to spend quality fun time with beloved family and friends.  So it is no surprise that we get to hope and assume that December might never end and that the new year is still a few more weeks away. Alas! the new year is here! (Yeah, Am Still adjusting too)

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2017 represents a lot for different people. For some, It’s a new beginning, a continuation of normal day to day life and for most of us it’s a second chance to pursue what we failed to achieve in 2016.  Let it be changing our lifestyles, getting the nerve to ask that girl out or finally get the man of our dreams and probably a wedding! NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS are always complicated.

funny-new-years-resolutionEvery new year, I hear some friends of mine announce new year Resolutions like ‘this year am not eating burgers and fries. I have to cut my weight.’ (we all have that friend don’t we?)  It’s things like deciding to start gym this year and then spend six months planning to start, that make new year resolutions complicated. Most of us NEVER PLAN to move our plans forward but keep fantasizing with so many ideas and let our dreams die in the night. (If you do plan, please don’t judge the rest of us)

My mentor (God bless her!), gave me a book to read last year and it’s from that book and her guiding words and principles that am going to briefly let you on three secrets to help you start the journey on putting your new year Resolutions into motion.

If you are like me, then you have struggled in the past with chasing some of your goals and ended up panicking and getting confused on how to turn those dreams into reality. I have many times looked back and wondered why the hell I didn’t do this or that?  Then the year ends and I am swallowed by regret, frustration and anger. This is the under achieving cycle that most of us live in. A cycle that impedes you from attaining your full potential!

boton_1The first thing I have done, (I hope you try this out) is an individual assessment.(try to be ruthlessly honest here) List down all your main achievements for the last three years. This includes personal and professional milestones. From there, turn the page and write down all missed opportunities and the wrong choices you have made, especially those things you know you could have avoided. (That list might really shock you, but stay strong)

Compare the two lists and then write down where you would like to see yourself in the next three to five years if everything was perfect .This is your vision, your dream. Visualize all your achievements, steps to take and the people to get you there. These are your GOALS for 2017 and beyond. Don’t forget to set time lines or you will be working on one thing for twenty years.

2-1The next step is really up to me or you. After setting your goals, you need to have maintain consistence in action towards achieving your goals.  This has been a challenge for me and probably yourself but this year try to set up a system to help you be consistent toward achieving your goals. My mentor told me to make sure I do something contributing to my goals every day, however small.

This helps to keep your goals and vision alive and clear in your mind. As humans beings, we get distracted and forget. Try to stay on track with reminding yourself that your dreams are in motion and achievable. As my mentor might put it, drive the conversation.

3-24The third and final but clearly not last step is always pray. I am a religious person and for me Islam as my religion, teaches me to be thankful, patient, humble and helpful among so many other things.  So through prayer, I am able to remember that I need to be thankful to God for my health, family and friends, plus my Job (which we all want to keep) and life as you or I know it.

new-year-3This is probably one of the most important things to consistently do this year. Religion and perhaps culture limit us from loosing ourselves to ambition and wealth. In this journey to a better life, I try not to loose myself because it’s easy to do so.  Usually, the ‘I’ ll do whatever it takes phrase ‘ is quite a misleading one.

So I don’t know what you are doing now, but am definitely going off to set my goals, try my best to be consistent and always pray. Hopefully, I shall have less complicated New year Resolutions for 2018. What are you going to do?