KCCA FC boss Mike Hillary Mutebi and former Proline manager Shafiq Bisaso are the front-runners for the 2019 FUFA manager of the year award after being named among the nominees.
Police FC’s Abdallah Mubiru also features on the three-man shortlist.
Mutebi who has won the accolade for the last three years, guided KCCA FC to the StarTimes Uganda Premier League, CECAFA Kagame Cup in Rwanda and the FUFA Super Cup.
Mubiru guided Uganda Cranes to qualify for the 2020 Championship of African Nations (CHAN) while Bisaso helped Proline FC to win the StarTimes FUFA Big League and the Stanbic Uganda Cup. He also helped his team beat Malawian side Masters Security on their maiden continual bow.
For the first time, the coaches in Women’s football will have their own category and the nominees include Ayub Khalifa, Oliver Mbekeka, and Fred Ndaula.
Ayub helped Kawempe Muslim Ladies to reach the FUFA Women Elite League playoffs and was also in charge of the Uganda U17 Girls’ national team that won the maiden COSAFA U17 Championship. He also won several other trophies in FUFA sanctioned tournaments with his school.
Mbekeka led Lady Doves to two finals (FUFA Women Elite League and FUFA Women’s Cup) while Ndaula helped Makerere University to clinch the FUFA Women’s Cup, their first major title in history.
Another category introduced this year is the Airtel FUFA Member Associations’ award that is aimed at rewarding excelling FUFA Members. In total, FUFA is composed of 34 members following the admission of the Futsal Association of Uganda.
The nominees include; KCCA FC, Buganda Region Football Association (BRFA) and Uganda Beach Soccer Association (UBSA).
In beach soccer, St. Lawrence duo of Ronald Mutebi and Suleiman Ochero will contend for the gong alongside Herbert Luboyera of Mutoola Beach Soccer Club.
Mutebi was named the best goalkeeper in the 2018/19 league while Ochero finished as the top scorer with 29 goals in 19 games and was named the Most Valuable Player.
In the Airtel FUFA Upcoming talent category, Sadat Anaku who won the accolade last year is nominated alongside Garvin Kizito Mugweri and Davis Sekajja.
Coaches of the FUFA Women Elite League and FUFA Women Super League nominated their top 5 candidates for the FUFA Female player of the year 2019.
There was a second round of voting by the coaches and captains for the Male player of the year and Female Player of the Year to get the top 5 and the list will be released on Wednesday.
Public voting will contribute 25% and will get underway after the release of the top 5 for Male and Female Player of the Year. The Coaches will contribute 50%, Captains 25%, and Fans 25% during the voting.
This is the fifth successive year that the Airtel FUFA Awards are organized running them ‘Celebrating Uganda’s finest footballers’.
This year’s awards function will be held on 14th December at Speke Resort, Munyonyo.
