Wasswa elates Desabre

CAIRO- When coach Sebastien Desabre read the Uganda’s final 23-man squad to the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), there were voices that murmured about Hassan Wasswa and Godfrey Walusimbi.

Both players have been not enjoyed club football since late last year and January respectively.

But after the Cranes made it out of Group A, the duo had repaid back the faith and much to the Frenchman Desabre’s delight.
“I am proud of my players,” remarked Desabre in the post-match press-conference, “This qualification (out of the group) is the most important,” he said before later singling out left-back Walusimbi and centre-back Wasswa.

“He’s (Wasswa) a good player with a good spirit. Walusimbi is (also) a free agent. Wasswa played three good games.”
Wasswa’s outstanding statistic is that he is the only Cranes’ player who has played every minute at the Afcon editions in Gabon and Egypt.

He started all three in Gabon two years ago and has done the same here, amounting to 540 minutes at this stage, the most for any of the current crop of players.

“It is a milestone,” a calm Wasswa told Daily Monitor. The 31-year-old has not been attached to any club since departing El-Geish in the Egyptian Premier League last year but he now has offers on table.

“I (now) have so many opportunities,” the man with dreadlocks remarked. Daily Monitor understands there is specific interest from clubs in Turkey and Qatar. “It will be up to me to choose,” added Wasswa.

Wasswa has been solid while playing alongside three different partners in central defence at Afcon in Egypt.
His first partner was Murushid Juuko who has since struggled with a knock following the 2-0 win over DR Congo.
Wasswa then partnered with Ronald Mukiibi in the 1-all draw against Zimbabwe before joining hands with Timothy Awany against Egypt on Sunday.

Ugandan legends Edward Semwanga and Jimmy Kirunda have started most matches for Cranes in Afcon history. The pair started all 11 matches for Uganda between the editions of 1974, 1976 and 1978.
Legendary Phillip Omondi started nine of those and came off the bench for one and missed another.

MOST STARTS
11:
Jimmy Kirunda, Edward Ssemwanga
CURRENT GENERATION
6:
Hassan Wasswa, Farouk Miya
5:
Denis Onyango, Godfrey Walusimbi,
Khalid Aucho