Salim Magoola voices frustration over continued Uganda snub
Richards Bay FC goalkeeper Salim Magoola has publicly expressed his disappointment after being excluded yet again from the Uganda Cranes squad for the upcoming 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
Magoola took to social media platform X to voice his frustration, emphasising his commitment and professionalism amidst continued omission.
The shot-stopper last donned the national team jersey in November 2023 during the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, where he started in a 2-1 loss against Guinea.
Since then, he has been consistently overlooked for friendly matches and crucial qualifiers despite putting in stellar performances for his club, Richards Bay.
Magoola’s recent post highlighted his bewilderment at the repeated snubs, especially considering his superior statistics compared to the selected goalkeepers, Charles Lukwago and Ismail Watenga. The experienced keeper also vehemently refuted any claims of indiscipline.
WHAT SALIM MAGOOLA SAID ON X
“Being straight isn’t indiscipline, and I have never been an indisciplined player. Played for 6 professional clubs with no suspension,” he wrote on X [Twitter].
“I made peace with the Uganda Cranes, but framing me out as an indisciplined player must stop. If you don’t like someone, it’s okay. We support others.”
The decision by Uganda Cranes head coach Paul Put to exclude Magoola remains a point of contention. Ugandans who commented on the post seemed to question the selection criteria, especially given the comparative statistics of the goalkeepers.
Sources close to the situation have indicated that Magoola’s repeated confrontations with the Federation of Uganda Football Associations [FUFA] over unpaid bonuses could be the real reason behind his exclusion from the squad.
“He has a history of challenging the Uganda Football Federation regarding unpaid bonuses. It’s suspected that this is the reason he’s being left out. It’s certainly not due to footballing reasons,” a source revealed.
This tension reportedly began after the Cranes returned from the 2019 AFCON, where they were promised a million dollars by the FUFA president Moses Magogo, a promise that remains unfulfilled. During that same AFCON, the players also went on strike over unpaid bonuses for reaching the last 16.
A member of parliament targeted Salim Magoola, who responded on Twitter, escalating the controversy.
“Yes, he’s talented, but he’s being sidelined because he spoke out on Twitter about the national team’s bonuses,” the source added.
When FARPost questioned about the issue, Magogo deflected responsibility. “I’m not the coach; I’m only the president of the federation. I think the coach would be in a position to answer that question.”
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