Uganda Cranes Coach McKinstry asked to step aside, to miss crucial ties

Uganda Cranes head coach Jonathan McKinstry will miss the last two crucial games of the Total Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers after he was asked to step aside from March 3-31^st.

Although the Federation of Uganda Football Association (Fufa) did not specify if McKinstry will be serving a suspension, his assistants will be in-charge when the Uganda Cranes face Burkina Faso and Malawi this month.

“The FUFA Executive Committee has asked the Head Coach of the Uganda Cranes Johnathan McKinstry to step aside from managing and coaching the team for the period from 2nd- 31st March 2021,” said a communication issued by the Federation on Tuesday night.

Fufa stated that in the absence of the head coach, assistant coaches Abdallah Mubiru, Livingstone Mbabazi and goalkeeper’s coach Fred Kajoba will take charge of the team. “FUFA will use the period to assess and monitor the performance of the team,” said the communication.

McKinstry, the former Rwanda and Sierra Leone coach became Uganda’s head coach in September 2019. He took over from Sebastien Desabre who stepped down after the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) that took place in Morocco.

Uganda Cranes are second in Group B of the Afcon qualifiers, but will need to be at their best in the last two games to make it back to Africa’s biggest football showpiece.