Flavour of naturalised players hardly ever ticks all the boxes

“I am willing to do whatever it takes to receive an opportunity, especially as big as playing for my country,” youngster Tirhys Lukonyomoi said of his decision to play for the Uganda Cranes.

Lukonyomoi is one of the three naturalised players summoned in the Uganda Cranes squad preparing for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. 

The others are Ibra Ssekajja, who plays for Dulwitch Hamlet in the National League South, the sixth tier of English football. 

Nathan Odonkonyero, a high volume striker with non-league side Bognor Regis Town completes the latest additions. His CV is strengthened with earlier ties to the prestigious Chelsea Academy.

Hectic process

Naturalising players is now a smooth activity. According to Ahmed Hussein, the Fufa publicist, the process is vested with the technical team which traces players with Ugandan roots abroad.

Hussein says that some contacts are generated by keen Ugandans both abroad and in the country. Other players are scouted depending on the guides set by the national teams office, the CEO and head coach.

“In that case, the technical people monitor statistics before they meet them in person,” Hussein says.

The journey can be traced from 2004 when the then Cranes manager Mike Mutebi summoned England-based Joel Kitamirike to the Cranes team preparing for the 2006 World Cup qualifiers.

In the past, Congolese players, who had excelled in the league, had been incorporated in the national team set up.

Mutebi shifted the pattern. He ostensibly wanted to oversee a generation of players who would help the national team reach greater heights than the previous crop.

In 2004, in reaction to the growing trend towards naturalisation of foreign players in some countries, Fifa implemented a significant new ruling that requires a player to demonstrate a “clear connection” to any country they wish to represent.

Kitamirike had played for England’s U-15 team and Mutebi had praised the youngster for his tactical awareness.

Ironically, this was a time Uganda counted on just five overseas-based players – Sulaiman Tenywa, Ibrahim Sekajja, Medi Nsubuga, Nestory Kizito and Phillip Ssozi. Certainly the team needed to be beefed up.

Mutebi says the process was rigorous involving the Ministry of Sports officials and Parliament to finalise the paperwork.
“It was hectic. We involved a number of stakeholders,” Mutebi said in an interview.

Mutebi is disappointed that Kitamirike did not commit to the Cranes as the defender refused to give up his British citizenship.
Hussein said during meetings with the prospective players, which are similar to marketing pitches, they try to understand the players’ demands.

“Surprisingly, their demands are not monetary,” Hussein said.
For Lukonyomoi, for instance, it was all about national pride.

“The decision was very easy as I had always wanted to play for Uganda since I was young. I feel my motivation is my desire to push myself beyond my boundaries. Playing for your national team is something many players dream of but don’t take action or risks.  

“I’ve been motivated to play professionally and for my country since I was young playing for my local club,” Lukonyomoi said.
But there are those that are undecided. A case in point is Uche Mubiru Ikpeazu, who is eligible to play for Uganda and Nigeria.

He is still undecided as he remains in talks with the Nigeria FA which is however reluctant to use him.

Germany-based Melvyn Lorenzen, who played in a friendly 2-0 loss to Zimbabwe on May 31, 2016, turned down the offer citing personal reasons.

Snags

Although Uganda is home, it is not home for the naturalised players. There are fears of culture change, something amplified by Lukonyomoi.

“It took about two days before I felt settled in considering the heat, new teammates, coaches and accommodation...,” he said.
National team coaches are facilitated to travel to far-flung destinations like Scandinavia to check on new players.

Mutebi’s successor Bobby Williamson invited Fabian Kizito and Martin Mutumba, who managed seven caps, including just one start before he called it quits in 2014.

The calls continued with Sébastien Desabre, who shipped in Swedish-born Ronald Mukiibi who played in the 2019 Afcon finals in Egypt. Jayden Onen and Bevis Mugabi were also in the groove. 
Mugabi has since amassed 10 caps.

Desabre’s successor Johnny McKinstry made it clear that if there were any players who deserved a chance to feature for the Cranes, then he ought to get him. His headline call-ups were Ikpeazu and Bwomono.

Former Cranes and Police head coach Abdallah Mubiru said while naturalised players remain an integral part of our national teams, clearly, there is a contradiction.

“It is true those players are more exposed and more intelligent on the ball but the difference with the ones brought in Uganda is that they play in lower leagues. By the time one chooses Uganda, he does not fit in a top team,” he said.

Hussein estimated the number of players on the radar of the coaches to be 158 according to the latest figures released in March. This includes even the women players.

This increased interest is partly because of Uganda’s progress in the Africa Cup of Nations but it is also attributed to impatient ambition as Uganda have enjoyed benefits delicately.

Mubiru explains that so far the success story is Mugabi, who is flying at his Scottish club Motherwell.

Uganda’s current squad for the Afcon 2023 qualifiers has five players who were born outside the country but this generation may not be the one to fulfil the football dreams.

Mutebi insists the focus should be on solving deep-rooted problems, rather than emphasising the naturalisation project.

“The bottom-line is that there is no need to look for those players. It is our weakness that we are not following principles of good club management. Those players bring so little to the table. We have better players in Uganda,” Mutebi summed up.

Eligibility

Any player who refers to assume a new nationality and who has not played international football [in a match (either in full or in part) in an official competition of any category or any type of football] shall be eligible to play for the new representative team only if he fulfils one of the following conditions:
a) He was born on the territory of the relevant association;
b) His biological mother or biological father was born on the territory of the relevant association;
c) His grandmother or grandfather was born on the territory of the relevant association;
d) He has lived continuously for at least five years after reaching the age of 18 on the territory of the relevant association.

*SOURCE: Fifa.com

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