Magogo speaks out on players retirement from Uganda Cranes as FUFA crisis deepens

The Federation of Uganda’s Football Association FUFA President Eng. Moses Magogo has broken silence on the raging wave of players retiring from the Uganda Cranes National duty.

By Wednesday evening, Cranes midfielder Mike Azira joined skipper Dennis Onyango, his vice Hassan Wasswa Mawanda as players who have quit national duty mid deepening crisis in the Cranes camp.

However, Magogo has on Thursday come out to defend that his name should not be tagged in all that is going on in the football team.

According to him, he has enjoyed not only football these players have been playing at the National team but also enjoyed his personal friendship with them.

Here is his statement;

Well done Mike Webale innho Munha Apwoyo 

You can choose what to say, but the fact is I have enjoyed a different but personal relationship with each of these players beyond football.

1. Wasswa Hassan (33)
2. Denis Onyango (35)
3. Mike Azira (33) 

Whereas it is the norm for players to retire from the national team at this age and have a few more years for club football, it does not take away the emotions of retirement. As a serious administration we indeed saw this reality coming and planned for it. 

Mike has been the most professional footballer I have worked with. Dedicated to instructions, rules, and helping young players on and off the field etiquette of a professional footballer.

Mike told me his wish to retire in Malawi immediately after the game and I told him, let the heat of the loss subside then you can take the decision. Thank you for listening to me.

As anyone who has played football, that moment comes when only you feels how you feel. When the body and the mind get a conversation, then the inevitable difficult decision comes. If you refuse to take hard decision, the decision takes itself.

I thank Mike for that conversation at the airport in Blantyre that opened my mind that it is time for young players to take over as room is being created by the retiring player.

That stellar performance against Ghana Afcon 2017 in Gabon stands out in the many outings you did.

Mike is a *historical* midfielder and this earns him the opportunity to opt for a testimonial match.

I pray your club career continues and those coaching badges get done so that you can be retained by the game after.