Lorenzen venturing where other hopefuls have flopped
Lorenzen’s call-up received mixed reaction. But more than anyone else, he will be hoping that he made the right decision. AGENCIES PHOTO
What you need to know:
Soccer. The 21-year-old cross-national footballer, born in London to a Ugandan father and German mother, joins Kitamirike, Nsereko, Kizito and Mutumba as the other foreign players with Ugandan lineage to have either attempted to or played for the Cranes. The story for the latter crop has been mixed; Lorenzen will hope this works out.
KAMPALA. Coach Micho Sredojevic’s inclusion of Melvyn Lorenzen in Uganda’s 21-man squad this week was inevitably the talking point.
The 21-year-old Werder Bremen striker, born in London to a Ugandan father, Drake Mugisa, and a German mother, plies his trade in German.
Fifa laws allow Lorenzen – who has neither represented England nor German at senior level – to play for Uganda. A new Ugandan law allowing dual citizenship that was passed in 2009 also made it easier.
He could feature in a friendly against Zimbabwe next Sunday and away to Botswana on June 4 in a 2017 Afcon qualifier.
Lorenzen’s call-up has not gone without questioning, most of the doubt coming on social media. Some are not as excited about some German-based footballer turning out for the Cranes thanks to previous foreign players whose adventures to their motherland never bore fruits.
But Micho is optimistic. “We want to have him around and see how he copes,” he said, “It’s also a big opportunity to have a player who plays in one of the best leagues in the world amidst us, I hope he can add value and also inspire some of the other players.” Micho’s wish is every Ugandan’s hope.
The Germany-bred forward, who can operate from either wings, has found the back of the net six times in 38 appearances for Bremen.
Let us see other foreign-based players with Ugandan lineage that have come before him.
Martin Mutumba, 30
After impressing for AIK Stockholm – where he dazzled with enough step-overs to be called Sweden’s Ronaldinho, Uganda came calling. Fortunately, dual citizenship had been passed three years earlier.
So Mutumba, the Swedish-born to Ugandan parents, got Bobby Williamson’s nod in February 2012 and made the squad to Uganda’s 2013 Afcon preliminary qualifier away to Congo Brazzaville. However, he was only good for the bench.
Mutumba did finally make his debut in the 2014 World Cup 1-1 away qualifier against Angola, putting in a decent shift.
It is his home debut against Senegal in the same campaign, his would-be only start for Uganda, where disastrous does not begin to describe his performance. “I wouldn’t be playing for AIK if I wasn’t a good player,” said Mutumba afterwords, “I played well in Angola but Namboole wasn’t my day.” Mutumba later come off the bench against Liberia, Angola and finally away in Morocco against Senegal in 2013, where he played the last nine minutes: “I touched the ball about two times I think. I can’t just continue coming on late to play just a few minutes. I know how good I am.”
Micho reasoned: “Maybe it is not easy to acclimatise from his league in Europe to the one here.” Mutumba, 30, has not been called for Cranes again, and his club form has subsequently taken him to Turkey at Çaykur Rizespor and Orduspor, Iran’s Rah Ahan and back to Sweden at IF Brommapojkarna.
Fabian Kizito, 24
Not much had been heard of the Netherlands-bred footballer until Bobby named him in his squad early 2012. Kizito, who now plays for Dutch club DCV Krimpen, was to go on and score in his Cranes debut, a 2-1 defeat to Egypt in March 2012.
He then made the bench for the opening match of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, a 1-1 draw away to Angola June of the same year. He was dropped for the subsequent game at home to Senegal and never to be recalled. Silent counter-accusations between the player and Ugandan football authorities over his absence from Cranes, coupled with the Kizito’s stop-start form saw him fizzle out at the same speed he came in.
Joel Kitamirike, 32
Born in Uganda, Kitamirike moved to England as a child and subsequently secured British citizenship. He played for Football League One club Brentford – on loan from Chelsea - in 2003/4 and Scottish Premier League club Dundee in 2005, with his most recent club being Chelmsford City. Mostly known for Chelsea, Fufa invited the player for the 2006 World Cup qualifier against DR Congo in 2004, giving him an impression that they would secure him a Ugandan passport using’ powers from above.’ Dual-citizenship had not been approved at the time, which meant that Kitamirike would have to first renounce his British citizenship. Kitamirike would, understandably, have none of that. Then a 20-year-old, the defender, who even trained with the Cranes ahead of the clash against DRC, said: “I would have really loved to play on Saturday and that is why I came home but what do you do if things go the way they are?”
Nearly summoned… Savio Nsereko, 26
Both the player and Fufa expressed interest in each other, with the Ugandan- German, Savio Nsereko, saying he would love to play for his country of birth and Fufa desperately trying to have him attain dual citizenship and feature for Cranes in the 2012 Afcon qualifiers. But it has just remained a dream. Nsereko, the one-time sparkle of the German U20 side, moved from bad to worse, once faking his kidnap in 2012. He has since been to five clubs and is now at Lithuanian side FK Lietava.
Others…
Foreign players of Ugandan lineage that have attracted local attention include Southampton defender Bevis Mugabi, 21, and 23-year-old striker Ibra Sekajja of English side Hemel Hempstead Town.
