It has been a busy transfer window for Uganda footballers

Every beginning of season, footballers move clubs in what is known as the football transfers. For the clubs and players alike, it is a chance to communicate renewal and purpose – a revival of opportunity. For fans, it can represent a sense of hope or if you are on the wrong side of a transfer, a future to view with a lot of apprehension. Either way the transfer period can be as exciting as it is stressful.

In Uganda many players have moved across clubs and the most notable local transfer so far has got to be John Revita’s short journey across western Kampala from Wankulukuku to Lugogo. Notable, because I view John Revita as one of the most technically gifted players of his generation. KCCA FC have bought well.

However, our local league is semi-professional at best and carries not the clout of professional leagues. We therefore tend to reserve our awe for international transfers even if that amounts to only a trial like is the case with Allan Okello or Dissan Galiwango. The promise abroad beats any certainties locally.

This is, well because, the likelihood of wealth and superstardom in professional leagues can be dramatic. And to that extent it is strange for an inward transfer to attract attention. But that is just what Muhammad Shaban move from Raja Casablanca to Vipers FC has done. He has seen better days, but also the Viper FC sign-on fees were no pittance. Our football has come a long way indeed.

Even then your catchy stories will still be about those who go to ply their trade in far-off places and to a life of relative comfort. Timothy Awany is in Israel – an unlikely destination but one whose “smallness” makes it desirable. Awany has a better shot at playing in the Champions or Europa League, than his peers in Eastern Europe.

That said, the major account of this transfer season is without a doubt, the five Cranes players moving to Egypt. Allan Kyambadde (El Gouna FC) Khalid Aucho (Misr Lel Makkasa), Abdul Lumala (Pyramids), Emmanuel Okwi (Ittihad Alexandria) Tadeo Lwanga (Tanta Sports Club), all signed up to join Derrick Nsibambi (Smouha Sports Club) and Daniel Isaigi (l Nasr Sporting Club, a second-tier side) as the other Ugandans already playing in Egypt. I often say that a tournament is like a trade show and it turns out Afcon 2019 was the perfect shop window.

The Egyptians must have been so impressed with the Uganda Cranes they signed half the team. If we discount East Africa’s amateur leagues, never before has there been a mass exodus of Uganda footballers to a single destination. And it could have been more and to better ranked leagues which is why I will always contend that the infamous Cranes strike represented a missed opportunity.

But that is a story for another day. For now, may those going away be an inspiration to those still holding on to the dreams of professional football and carry back the lessons from better leagues.
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