By Amon Ngabo
The wait is finally over for Ugandan football fans, as the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) has appointed Belgian coach Paul Put as the new head coach of the Uganda Cranes.
Put, who has a vast experience of coaching in Africa, has signed a two-year contract with FUFA and will take over the reins from Morley Byekwaso, who has been temporarily leading the team since the departure of Serbian coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic.
The 67-year-old Put has a proven track record of success in Africa, having previously coached Gambia, Guinea, Kenya, and Burkina Faso. He is most notably known for leading Burkina Faso to a second-place finish at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations finals in South Africa.
Put’s immediate task will be to guide the Cranes past Guinea and Somalia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers this month in Morocco.
According to FUFA President Moses Magogo, Put will appoint his own backroom staff, which will include several Ugandans and five other people from Belgium.
