David GOMBE
FUFA have appointed Belgian tactician Paul Joseph Put as the new Uganda Cranes head coach ahead of the forthcoming 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.
The Belgian tactician has been appointed on a two year employment contract and replaces Milutin Sredojevic alias Micho who was relieved of his duties in September.
Put was officially unveiled as the new Cranes head coach at a press briefing held at FUFA House in Mengo on Thursday.
“It has been a long process for us since we had over 250 applicants for the job and we decided to appoint Paul Put as new head coach. He is a coach with a big profile and with African experience. We believe such a profile is one that the Uganda Cranes needs.
“This time, we have allowed the coach to appoint his own backroom staff and he is coming with five other people from Belgium. However, there will be Ugandans who will work as part of the backroom staff.” Said FUFA President Moses Magogo
Put has previously served as the Gambian National team head coach, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Kenya and Congo.
In 2013, he led Burkina Faso to the Africa Cup of Nations Final where they lost 1-0 to Nigeria.
Controversies
Put served a three-year ban in Belgium after being found guilty of match-fixing and in 2019, he was also banned by the Guinea Football Federation for breaching its code of discipline.
Meanwhile, Uganda is in Group G of 2026 World Cup Qualifiers alongside Algeria, Guinea, Mozambique, Botswana and Somalia.
The Cranes will begin their campaign with two away fixtures against Guinea and Somalia in November (13-21st) this year respectively.
In March next year, they will host Botswana and Algeria between 3rd to 11th with both games expected to be held at Mandela National stadium in Namboole.
Paul Put Profile:
2008–2011: Gambia
2012–2015: Burkina Faso
2015–2016: Jordan
2016–2017: USM Alger
2017–2018: Kenya
2018: Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard
2018–2019: Guinea
2020–2021: Saif SC
2021: Congo
