Wasswa peaks at the right moment

Herman Wasswa is largely shy and reserved off the field. But after scoring KCCA FC’s only goal against Cameroon’s Cosmos de Bafia in the first leg of their Caf Champions League tie on February 14 at Namboole stadium, his tail is up, John Vianney Nsimbe.

Just last week, he scored one of the goals that helped KCCA FC to a 2-0 home win over Simba in the Uganda Premier League to take his tally to two goals in three games.

But the return leg this Sunday, March 1 in Cameroon will be a totally different ball game, yet Wasswa isn’t at all overwhelmed. “My dream has always been to play at the highest level and to be the main striker in a big team.”

Indeed, if Wasswa’s goal in the 1-0 first leg win was important, not any less than the fact that it ensured KCCA registered their maiden win at Namboole in a Caf tie, his paymasters would give anything if he repeated the feat to enable the Lugogo-based side qualify for the first round of the Caf Champions League.

His coach Abdallah Mubiru can’t overstate the value Wasswa is to the club presently. In a recent interview, he told The Observer that Wasswa was undoubtedly training very hard.

Observers feel that Wasswa has probably realized that the mantle at the club has been handed to him since Brian Umony, Brian Majwega and Tony Odur left the club.

And although he doesn’t have the personality to be club captain, he is born to score goals especially when his confidence is up, and isn’t in the shadow of anyone like was the case playing second fiddle to Umony and Odur.

Wasswa is self-assured that goals come as second nature to him and thus will pay little attention to the nay-sayers.

However, as much as Wasswa doesn’t agree that being in the shadow of Umony and Odur affected him, especially when one is to consider that he found himself relegated to the bench once too many times, he already looks bubbly and happier now knowing that he is the first name on the team sheet in his favourite centre-forward position, leading the line.

Under his former coaches, George Nsimbe and even Mike Mutebi at SC Villa, Wasswa was shifted quite a lot to operate as a wing forward. He didn’t cut it there, and in the process grew despondent because he normally flopped there, which got him criticised a lot by the fans.

By and large, this wasn’t his fault, yet according to his coaches, had to sacrifice himself for the team, particularly in cases where the formation used didn’t accommodate two central strikers like a 4-4-2. Worse still, he played with one Odur, who was quite overbearing.

Everything, from free-kicks, leading the line and penalties, Odur made his preserve. One time Nsimbe ordered that Wasswa lead the line and Odur moves to the outside since he was more comfortable on the ball than Wasswa probably will ever be.

Odur sternly refused to heed his coach’s orders, keeping Wasswa frustrated on the wing. But now Wasswa has the field to himself and barring poor service and creativity from KCCA’s midfield, he is determined to lead the line with distinction, beginning with knocking out Cosmos de Bafia.