By Spy Uganda
Kampala:Crested Cranes head coach Faridah Bulega has claimed her team is better than teams that have always been termed footballing giants in Africa.
Bulega says the only thing that has worked against the Uganda Women’s football team is the fear that affects the players.
“We are better than those women’s teams they tag as ‘superpowers’ here in Africa, but the fear factor has always been one of our major challenges while on the pitch,” Bulega said.
“You as a coach can confidently lay an effective game plan to win but then the players due to lack of experience and exposure, are affected by stage freight and you effectively lose the game before it even starts.” added Bulega.
Bulega further welcomed the establishment of the Caf Women’s Champions League which is set to be first played in 2021.
“Caf did a great job, I was happy about it,” Bulega added.
“The initiative will help women’s football in Uganda to change for good, and I see it helping bridge the sporting gap against the better countries in terms of women’s football like Cameroon.
“When teams qualify for the Champions League, they will get to compete against the better teams from the ‘powerhouses’.
“And at the end of the day it grows the game in terms of quality, technicality and exposure and of course it brings a degree of familiarity.”
Bulega says what the players will gain from continental football will also be felt at national level.
“At the end of the day, when these players get to play for the Crested Cranes, they will be used to competing at a higher level than in the league and that helps their confidence when you’re playing against teams like Ghana or Nigeria,” she concluded.
