Johnny McKinstry is reportedly in lead for the Uganda Cranes’ coaching role and could be announced in this after week.
Word in the higher echelons of the game indicates the man from Northern Ireland will take up the job after making a final shortlist of three.
The list made by the local football body Fufa included McKinstry, Luke Eymael as well as Belgian pair of Hugo Broos and Luc Eymael.
But the latter Eymael is out of the picture after he made a return to the Premier Soccer League, choosing to tutor Limpopo side Black Leopards in South Africa.
Now in terms of costs, Fufa is understood to find McKinstry a manageable option ahead of Broos, who lifted the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title with Cameroon in Gabon two years ago.
Broos, 60, has been caretaker manager, previously as sporting director sports director at Belgian top-flight side Oostende.
Currently at Saif FC in Bangladesh, McKinstry could now make a return to international football.
At 34, in case Fufa announces him, he will earn another ticket to tutor in East Africa having coached Rwanda between 2015-2016.
He had previously coached Sierra Leone in 2013-2014, making him the youngest international manager in the world at 27 years old.
McKinstry was in the country last month to watch KCCA’s return leg against Namibia’s African Stars at Lugogo in the Caf Champions League.
In case he takes the job, he will become the first British man to coach Bobby Williamson in 2008. The other is Englishman Alan Rogers in 1965-66.
Uganda has had no permanent coach since Frenchman Desabre Sebastien mutually terminated his contract with Fufa after Cranes’ last 16 exit at the Afcon in Egypt back in July.
Local coach Abdallah Mubiru and assistant Livingstone Mbabazi have been in charge of Cranes and currently lead Burundi 3-1 in the final stages of qualification for Chan 2020.
Johnny McKinstry
Date of birth: July 16, 1985
Age: 34
Place of birth: Lisburn, Northern Ireland
Teams Coached: Sierra Leone (2013-2014), Rwanda (2015-2016), Kauno Žalgiris (2017-2018), Saif SC (2018-To-date)
About Uganda Cranes
Nickname(s): The Cranes
Best result: Runners-up (1978 Africa Cup of Nations)
Captain: Denis Onyango
Main Home: Mandela National Stadium
Cast of previous Uganda Cranes’ Coaches
1965-66: Alan Rogers (England)
1967-69: Robert Kiberu (Uganda)
1969-72: Burkhard Pape (Germany)
1973-74: David Otti (Uganda)
1974-75: Otto Westerhoff (Germany)
1976-81: Peter Okee (Uganda)
1982: Bidandi Ssali (Uganda)
1983: Peter Okee (Uganda)
1984-85: George Mukasa (Uganda)
1986-88: Barnabas Mwesiga (Uganda)
1988-89: Robert Kiberu (Uganda)
1989-95: Polly Ouma (Uganda)
1995-96: Timothy Ayieko (Uganda)
1996-99: Asuman Lubowa (Uganda)
1999-2000: Harrison Okagbue (Nigeria)
2001-03: Paul Hasule (Uganda)
2003: Pedro Pasculli (Argentina)
2003-04: Leo Adraa (Uganda)
2004: Mike Mutebi (Uganda)
2004-06: Mohammed Abbas (Egypt)
2006-08: Csaba László (Hungary)
2008-13: Bobby Williamson (Scotland)
2013-2017: Milutin Sredojević (Serbia)
2017: Moses Basena (Uganda, Interim)
2017-19: Sébastien Desabre (France)
This writer is a global broadcaster and as well scribe with Daily Monitor Newspaper and sports presenter with Radio One FM 90 in Kampala. Follow him on Twitter: @AllanDarren and his Facebook Page: Darren Allan Kyeyune
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