The norm for quite a while on the Uganda Cranes teams at least during Sredojevic Micho and Sebastian Desabre’s reigns was summoning players who were without clubs with the reason that their experience was irreplaceable, but that clearly is in the past with new Cranes coach Jonathan McKinstry.

While appearing NTV’s Monday night sports show ‘The Pressbox’, McKinstry revealed players who are clubless can’t be considered for national team duty simply because he wouldn’t guarantee their match fitness and readiness.

“Players that don’t feature for clubs regularly can’t be called up for the Cranes. I had this discussion with Murshid Jjuuko and he understood where I was coming from, you wouldn’t guarantee their fitness and that’s a huge risk for sure,” McKinstry revealed.

Before McKinstry’s appointment, several fans always questioned call ups for players that were without clubs like midfielder Hassan Wasswa who has on numerous occasions featured for the Cranes while clubless along with Denis Iguma and until recently Khalid Aucho.

The former Sierra Leone and Rwanda head coach also revealed his target with the national team especially on AFCON which is reaching the knockout stages more often.

“I’d want that we make Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification more often but also concentrate more on reaching the knockout stages because group stage matches are different from the knockouts and you’d want for this to be often,” he added.

Uganda Cranes are preparing for the upcoming African Nations of Championship (CHAN) tournament scheduled for April 4-24, 2020 in Cameroon and at the same time face South Sudan in a doubleheader of the AFCON 2021 Qualifiers at the end of this month.

The Cranes top group B on four points level with Burkina Faso but with a superior goal difference.