West Ham complete Nsereko signing
ENGLISH Premier League side West Ham yesterday finalised the signing of Ugandan-born Savio Nsereko. He was immediately introduced to excited fans by coach Gianfranco Zola.
By Phillip Corry
Full name: Savio Nsereko
Date of birth: July 27, 1989
Birthplace: Kampala, Uganda
Nationality: German
2nd nationality: Ugandan
EU passport: Yes
Height: 176cm/ 5.9ft
Weight: 73kg
Former Club: (Brescia, Italy)
New Club: West Ham (London, England)
Transfer fee: £9m ( Sh24 billion)
Shirt number: 10
ENGLISH Premier League side West Ham yesterday finalised the signing of Ugandan-born Savio Nsereko. He was immediately introduced to excited fans by coach Gianfranco Zola.
As the news spread like wild fire across Kampala yesterday, Uganda’s technical director Edgar Watson expressed excitement about the move, and said there remains a chance the youngster will consider playing for his country in future.
“It is great he has moved. We Ugandans are happy for him,†Watson said. He then revealed how close Nsereko came to playing for Uganda two years ago.
“His mother was eager that he plays for Uganda but we got stuck because of problems with dual citizenship,†he said. Nsereko’s mother moved with him to Munich when he was just two years old.
“For him to play for Uganda’s junior national team, we asked that he denounce his German citizenship, which became a barrier. If Uganda had then accepted dual citizenship, his mother would have persuaded him to play for Uganda, not Germany,†Watson added.
A dual citizenship bill is currently being debated in parliament, and by the end of the year, sh24-billion striker Nsereko would be able to get a Ugandan passport.
“I am very happy to be here and am proud to have the possibility of playing for a club like West Ham. I know a lot about the manager. I saw him play and he was a great player and I think he is also a great manager and can improve me a lot,†19-year-old Nsereko said after he agreed a four-and-a-half year deal.
He could make his home debut against Hull City this evening, subject to international clearance. He speaks English, German and Italian.
“We have high expectations of him but we don’t forget that the boy is 19-years-old and has come here for the future. We know he has got great potential and he can become a really top player but the crowd and everybody needs to be patient with him. He is only 19 and is very much willing to improve and we’re going to try to help him. We also need to allow him some time to settle down,†said Zola.
Savio was selected for the Germany Under-19 side and helped his nation lift the 2008 European Under-19 Championship trophy last summer, but could join the likes of Fred Kanoute of Mali, who decided later to play for his country of birth and not for France that he had featured for as a junior.
Nsereko joins a list of half a dozen Ugandan born players who have featured in the Premier League. The last was Joel Kitamirike at Chelsea, after Andy and Chris Kiwomya in the eighties.
Full name: Savio Nsereko
Date of birth: July 27, 1989
Birthplace: Kampala, Uganda
Nationality: German
2nd nationality: Ugandan
EU passport: Yes
Height: 176cm/ 5.9ft
Weight: 73kg
Former Club: (Brescia, Italy)
New Club: West Ham (London, England)
Transfer fee: £9m ( Sh24 billion)
Shirt number: 10
ENGLISH Premier League side West Ham yesterday finalised the signing of Ugandan-born Savio Nsereko. He was immediately introduced to excited fans by coach Gianfranco Zola.
As the news spread like wild fire across Kampala yesterday, Uganda’s technical director Edgar Watson expressed excitement about the move, and said there remains a chance the youngster will consider playing for his country in future.
“It is great he has moved. We Ugandans are happy for him,†Watson said. He then revealed how close Nsereko came to playing for Uganda two years ago.
“His mother was eager that he plays for Uganda but we got stuck because of problems with dual citizenship,†he said. Nsereko’s mother moved with him to Munich when he was just two years old.
“For him to play for Uganda’s junior national team, we asked that he denounce his German citizenship, which became a barrier. If Uganda had then accepted dual citizenship, his mother would have persuaded him to play for Uganda, not Germany,†Watson added.
A dual citizenship bill is currently being debated in parliament, and by the end of the year, sh24-billion striker Nsereko would be able to get a Ugandan passport.
“I am very happy to be here and am proud to have the possibility of playing for a club like West Ham. I know a lot about the manager. I saw him play and he was a great player and I think he is also a great manager and can improve me a lot,†19-year-old Nsereko said after he agreed a four-and-a-half year deal.
He could make his home debut against Hull City this evening, subject to international clearance. He speaks English, German and Italian.
“We have high expectations of him but we don’t forget that the boy is 19-years-old and has come here for the future. We know he has got great potential and he can become a really top player but the crowd and everybody needs to be patient with him. He is only 19 and is very much willing to improve and we’re going to try to help him. We also need to allow him some time to settle down,†said Zola.
Savio was selected for the Germany Under-19 side and helped his nation lift the 2008 European Under-19 Championship trophy last summer, but could join the likes of Fred Kanoute of Mali, who decided later to play for his country of birth and not for France that he had featured for as a junior.
Nsereko joins a list of half a dozen Ugandan born players who have featured in the Premier League. The last was Joel Kitamirike at Chelsea, after Andy and Chris Kiwomya in the eighties.