Football coach Brian Ssenyondo has publicly declared his ambition to manage the Uganda Cranes in the future, sharing his dream during an appearance on NBS Sport’s Premier Sport Sandabula on Tuesday.
“I am a good football coach, and though I have my shortcomings, I am currently pursuing my CAF A License, which opens doors to roles like managing the national team,” Ssenyondo said.
“Managing the Uganda Cranes has always been my dream, and I hope to make that dream a reality soon.”
The aspiration to lead the national team is a challenging path for local coaches, with foreign managers often being preferred.
The last time Uganda Cranes had a local coach was in 2019 when Abdallah Mubiru took on a short-term interim role before Johnathan McKinstry from Ireland was appointed.
Historically, local coaches have struggled to secure long-term national team roles, but the possibility of a change remains.
Ssenyondo, a former head coach for clubs such as Synergy, Mbarara City, and UPDF, has also worked with Uganda’s youth national teams especially the U17 team.
Ssenyondo’s ultimate goal is to follow in the footsteps of past Ugandan managers, like Peter Okee, who led the Cranes to their best-ever Africa Cup of Nations performance in 1978, finishing as runners-up to Ghana.
The journey to leading Uganda’s national team is long, but Ssenyondo’s ambitions continue to fuel the hope that a local coach might once again take the helm of the Cranes.
