The Cranes are still three months away from starting their World Cup qualification journey if the schedule from football governing body Fifa is to be maintained.
And for Jonathan McKinstry the Cranes head coach, there already seems to have a plan about how to tackle the qualifiers that has his team placed in Group E alongside Mali, Kenya and Rwanda in the penultimate qualification stage.
That plan going by an interview in the Edinburgh Evening News, involves the massive presence of Scotland-based 6ft 2’ striker Uche Ikpeazu.
“Uche has good experience in the Scottish Premiership,” McKinstry said of the forward who is born to a Nigerian father and Ugandan mother.
“He brings something different. Our playing style is one that favours a lead striker – a No.9 who can lead the line and be a focal point that we can build round, helping to bring our midfielders into the game.”
“Having grown up and played in the lower leagues in England, Ikpeazu was a surprise selection to the Cranes squad before the aborted 2021 Total Africa Cup of Nations qualifier games against neighbours South Sudan back in March,” he added.
Yet the 25 year old Heart of Midlothian forward seems to fit into the way McKinstry wants his teams to play going by the Cranes’ two 2021 Afcon qualifier games against Burkina Faso and Malawi.
In both games McKinstry started with one central striker with Patrick Kaddu starting in the goalless Ouagadougou stalemate while Fahad Bayo got the nod and crucial second goal in the 2-0 win over Malawi.
“We have some players who can play that role, but I think Uche definitely adds to the competition. He is enthusiastic. From speaking to him, he is very eager to come out here and prove what he is capable of,” McKinstry explained.
Last season however did not go according to plan for Ikpeazu as he saw his Hearts team relegated from the Scottish Premiership and the player interrupted by injuries.
“I know last season wasn’t the best for him. There are various reasons for that. I actually know Robbie Neilson (Hearts manager) quite well and, when he got the Hearts job, I sent him a message saying congratulations.
“I informed him he had one of our boys and we had a conversation. From speaking to Robbie, I think Uche is going to be given a fair crack of the whip this season and could play a big part for Hearts.
“It’s in his hands. If he is playing well in Scotland, I think he will be able to transfer that into our environment here,” added McKinstry who thinks Ikpeazu should not have difficulty getting used to the physical nature of games on the continent.
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