Ssonko leads Airtel-Fufa Best ref award race
Ideally, Fifa assistant referee Mark Ssonko would stand little or no chance against centre referees; Brian Nsubuga and Mashood Ssali at this Friday’s Airtel-Fufa awards at Speke Resort Munyonyo.
What you need to know:
- Ssonko, who became Fufa referee in 1998 and gained the coveted Fifa badge as assistant referee in 2010, has been impressive in the top flight league and that gives him the edge over Nsubuga and Ssali.
KAMPALA. Ideally, Fifa assistant referee Mark Ssonko would stand little or no chance against centre referees; Brian Nsubuga and Mashood Ssali at this Friday’s Airtel-Fufa awards at Speke Resort Munyonyo.
His recent gradual rise however puts him in good position to stun last year’s winner Nsubuga and Ssali for the best referee gong.
Ssonko, the first ever Ugandan match official to officiate at the Chan tourney final (in South Africa 2014) was close to landing berth to officiate at the 2018 World Cup in Russia after impressing at the U-17 world Cup in India last year. Born to Mark Kagwa (RIP) a former referee, Ssonko proficiently juggles being a businessman and a referee and has no major officiating controversies tagged to his name.
“I’m a humble and confident man who always wants to stick my hands on things that I do to get the best results.
“I was born 39 years ago and used to play football but a nasty injury kept me off football. I’m now happily a businessman and referee,” the media shy official revealed in recent interview with Fufa website.
Ssonko, who became Fufa referee in 1998 and gained the coveted Fifa badge as assistant referee in 2010, has been impressive in the top flight league and that gives him the edge over Nsubuga and Ssali.
He recalls his most nightmarish moment as a referee; “It was a super league game between Boroboro and Simba in Lira. Fans kept protesting every goal scored. It needed the intervention of security on the pitch to calm the tempers.”
“Discipline is mandatory for any referee who wants to succeed,” he advised.
That said, Ssali, also a senior assistant secretary to the Vice Chancellor at Kampala International University, can also throw a surprise after performing well in a couple of high profile Uganda Premier league matches last season at the time when the refereeing realm was treated with contempt by many stakeholders.
