She Cranes coach says he will no longer train netballers for free

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  |  She Cranes Head Coach Fred Mugerwa, who has been at the helm of the She Cranes since October 2021, has confessed that he has not received a formal salary since his return, apart from a modest sum of 500,000 Shillings, which he was granted during the pent series in Namibia.

It is from this background that Mugerwa announced that he is considering stepping down after the expiry of his contract with the netball federation claiming that he has often been abused by several people even after offering to work for free.

Currently, it is only the Uganda National Football team coach, the Cranes who is getting a salary, which is reported to be around US$ 24,000 amounting to nearly sh85 million a month. At the time of this report, URN could not verify the figures nor get any salary figures for any other National team coach.

Team captain, Irene Eyaru, took the opportunity to highlight that numerous teammates are unemployed, placing their future in jeopardy even as they continue to dedicate themselves to the national team. Simila

Team selection and sexual harassment accusations

In a different development, Coach Mugerwa expressed anxiety from what he termed as enemies who have often accused him of favoring some players while selecting the squad. Without mentioning names, Mugerwa revealed that he faced substantial backlash from various quarters, including netball coaches, officials, and players, subsequent to his announcement of the final squad for the South Africa trip.

Some critics claimed he engaged in inappropriate relationships with selected players, while others openly berated the chosen athletes, accusing them of incompetence. The veteran coach noted that while several coaches and players wanted their own to be on the team, his selections were based on merit, relying on his judgment of competency among players.

UNF’s official President Kityo concurred with Mugerwa sharing her own experience of being approached by influential figures urging her to prioritize their relatives’ inclusion in the national team, even at the expense of more qualified players. Kityo affirmed that she firmly resisted such pressures, upholding the principle of fairness in player selection.

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URN