Of the 11 players named on the Team of the Season, only two were part of the team that lost 2-1 to Algeria in Cameroon on June 18th.
When the Startimes Uganda Premier League Team of the Season was announced Thursday night, it consisted of just two players who made the cut to play for Uganda Cranes in their last Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers match against Algeria.
The Pilsner SUPL Awards recognized the best of the best from the recently concluded season, and some players who Cranes head coach Milutin Sredojevic snubbed ended up walking to the stage to accept awards.
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Karisa scooped four awards out of a possible 13, walking home all smiles, emulating former teammate Cesar Manzoki who took six in the previous edition.
Of the 11 players named on the Team of the Season, only two were part of the team that lost 2-1 to Algeria in Cameroon on June 18th.
SUPL Player of the Season Milton Karisa and SC Villa captain Gift Fred are the only players who featured for the Cranes and were also included in the Team of the Season.
Simon Tamale, who managed 13 clean sheets with Maroons, was never considered at all for a place in the Cranes team, while right-back Grant Matsiko was also snubbed.
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But between Wednesday and Thursday, things changed, and Milton Karisa and Gaddafi Wahab moved to eight assists.
Kenneth Semakula, who played for Villa as a centre-back all season, ended up playing right back for the Cranes.
In the backline named, only Fred made the cut in Micho’s team. He started alongside Halid Lwaliwa as the Cranes fell in Cameroon.
Hillary Mukundane, who played in 27 of the 28 league games for Vipers and was named the best defender, was another snub that left tongues wagging.
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The goal-minder, all smiles and clad in a suit, was awarded at the colourful awarding ceremony held at the Sheraton Hotel, Kampala on Thursday.
Bright Stars’ Denis Omony Kaka completed the backline.
Wakiso Giants’ Lawrence Bukenya, Arua Hill’s Gaddafi Wahab and Busoga United’s Laban Tibita were the three midfielders selected, and none of these attracted Micho’s interest when he named his team.
Bukenya bossed the midfield at Wakiso and had many thinking he deserved a call-up. His ability to win back possession and initiate attacks has not convinced the Serbian Wolf.
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Isabirye edged former SC Villa coach Jackson Magera and Maroons FC's Muhammed Ssenfuma to the coveted accolade.
Up top, league top scorer Allan Kayiwa was also in Kampala as the Cranes fired blanks in Douala, his 13 goals not enough to assure him of a place in Micho’s goal-starved side.
Karisa is the only other player in the team to have been in Douala. Charles Bbale, who scored 12, had his services disregarded entirely.
The awards ended with the Vipers skipper scooping four accolades, including the biggest of the night as the UPL’s Player of the Season.
He was also named the Coaches’ Player of the Year and made the SUPL Team of the Season on a night league champions dominated the awards.