Uganda U17 head coach Laryea Kingston says the Cubs earned their place at the TotalEnergies U17 AFCON 2026 by handling the intensity of the CECAFA qualifiers, adapting to difficult conditions and showing rapid growth across the tournament.
“The tournament is very competitive. I respect everything within this competition,” Kingston said after the three to zero win against Ethiopia.
He pointed to Ethiopia and Tanzania as the two sides that pushed the standard higher.
“Some teams are stronger than others, and I would mention two that have impressed me the most, which are Ethiopia and Tanzania. For me, it is fair to say that all three countries deserve to represent CECAFA because they are doing the right things in their development.”
Uganda won without playing their preferred possession game, something Kingston linked to the surface in Addis Ababa.
“I believe in keeping the ball. I do not believe in long balls unless they serve a clear purpose. I always want my team to play. However, the pitch did not help us. The ball was bouncing throughout the game and that made it difficult to execute what we planned.”
He contrasted that with earlier matches in Dira Dawa, saying proper facilities are essential for preparing young players for higher levels.
“If we want to educate young players and prepare them to compete in Europe or the World Cup, we must give them good facilities.”
A key decision in the campaign was moving Yafesi Muhoozi into the holding midfield role.
“Muhoozi is an adorable kid,” Kingston said. “He came in as an attacking player, but based on the way I want the team to play, I needed someone who can take care of the ball in tight spaces and make things happen.”
Kingston said he assessed sixty six players and felt Muhoozi best suited that position.
“When I dropped him to the number six position there were critics, but every coach is different. For me, my number six must be excellent on the ball, and he fits that description. He is smart, he takes care of the ball and he has a very good future.”
Kingston said the group is still early in its development but responded well to a demanding playbook and a short preparation period.
“We have a long way to go and we have a detailed style of playbook that covers many phases. With the limited time we have, I must prioritise short term basics.”
He said the players adapted faster than expected. “These boys surprised me. I kept telling my backroom staff how impressed I was.”
He admitted the limited training days were a concern heading into the qualifiers.
“Five days without the team scared me. I was not sure if they would understand the ideas I was bringing.”
According to Kingston, that doubt disappeared as soon as the competition began. “From the first whistle of the competition they proved that they are intelligent, willing to learn and can be well coached.”
Kingston said that attitude, more than any tactical detail, shows what the squad can grow into as the AFCON finals approach.
