{"id":54312,"date":"2023-08-17T21:32:43","date_gmt":"2023-08-17T21:32:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/ssali-hasnt-given-up-on-arsenal-dream"},"modified":"2023-08-17T23:24:44","modified_gmt":"2023-08-17T23:24:44","slug":"ssali-hasnt-given-up-on-arsenal-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/ssali-hasnt-given-up-on-arsenal-dream","title":{"rendered":"Ssali hasn\u2019t given up on Arsenal dream"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Uganda. <\/strong><\/span>The name Alpha Thierry Ssali evokes memories of that wonder goal that sealed Proline FC\u2019s 4-1 win over Myda to reach the Uganda Cup Round of 16 in 2021.<\/p>\n

In a counter attack, the slim but silky winger picked the ball just outside the area, beat one defender twice with quick and deft touches, nutmegged another just inside the area and slotted in the bottom left corner, giving Myda goalkeeper no chance.<\/p>\n

Like he had evaded opposing defenders with his right foot, Ssali cleared his teammates with his hands, sprinting towards his number one fan\u2014his father, Moses Ssali, aka Bebe Cool. He jumped into his chest to seal the glorious photo moment.<\/p>\n

This stuff\u2014following Ssali\u2019s cameo appearances at the Under-20 African Cup of Nations in Mauritania\u2014was too good for a Big League side. Fans and neutrals wanted more. But a lot happened. Proline was further relegated. And a long injury layoff further slowed Ssali\u2019s progress.<\/p>\n

Ssali may be the son of a renowned musician, but he must have inherited the football genes from his grandfather Jaberi Bidandi Ssali, the legendary football manager who presided over the most successful KCCA FC and Uganda Cranes teams of all time.<\/p>\n

However, the 19-year-old, named after Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, knows that beyond talent, he must put in more drills to realise his huge potential in top-flight football and maybe, live his wildest dream\u2014joining Arsenal, the club his father loves as much as his music.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery kid in the world dreams of playing for clubs in Europe. But everyone needs a plan. You don\u2019t just wake up in the morning and go sign. There are people in the Arsenal academy waiting to be promoted. So at my young age, 19 it\u2019s a development process.<\/p>\n

“So my job is to develop to maybe around 21, 22 and if I play well in the league and show my skills, maybe they will pick me, maybe they won\u2019t. But that\u2019s football. Yeah I am working towards that dream,\u201d Ssali told the press Monday afternoon, when he was officially unveiled as an Express player at Skyz Hotel, Naguru.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got an injury about one and a half years ago. But I have been working and training hard in and outside Uganda, to come back on the pitch. And I am ready to give my all to the club. I am 100 percent sure.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know Express is a big club, on the same level as Vipers, KCCA. I have been approached by many clubs but Express, as the name suggests, can help you express yourself on the pitch. I have many friends who have played for Express and they have told me how the system works. So Express is willing to give me time to prove myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ssali was, however, reticent about the goals he has set himself during the two-year deal. Express head coach James Odoch seems to be reading from the same script.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlpha is a young player, and Express is a big club. So I won\u2019t be under any pressure working with him. I will decide when to play him depending on his performance in training,\u201d Odoch said. \u201cOf course there will be some pressure from the fans\u2014his and the club fans\u2014but we shall try to handle it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ssali is comfortable playing as a winger but that is a preference, not a demand. \u201cI will play anywhere the coach places me. Even if it’s in goal.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Red Eagles have already signed Emmanuel Paul Wasswa (on loan from KCCA), and Seif Batte from Villa but Odoch hopes that Ssali\u2019s reunion with his national teammate Andrew Kawooya might ease life for each other at Wankulukuku and yield results for the six-time Uganda Premier League champions, who finished a distant 10th last season.<\/p>\n

BRIEFLY<\/b><\/p>\n

Born: December 29, 2003 (aged 19)<\/p>\n

Debut: Proline Academy<\/p>\n

Clubs: Proline<\/p>\n

Currently: Express<\/p>\n

Position: Winger<\/p>\n

Parents: Moses Ssali, alias Bebe Cool & Zuena Kirema<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Uganda<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Uganda. The name Alpha Thierry Ssali evokes memories of that wonder goal that sealed Proline FC\u2019s 4-1 win over Myda to reach the Uganda Cup Round of 16 in 2021. In a counter attack, the slim but silky winger picked the ball just outside the area, beat one defender twice with quick and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":54311,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,17],"tags":[233,240,234],"class_list":["post-54312","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-sport","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-uganda","tag-uganda"],"yoast_head":"\nSsali hasn\u2019t given up on Arsenal dream - Uganda<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The name Alpha Thierry Ssali evokes memories of that wonder goal that sealed Proline FC\u2019s 4-1 win over Myda to reach the ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/ssali-hasnt-given-up-on-arsenal-dream\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ssali hasn\u2019t given up on Arsenal dream\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The name Alpha Thierry Ssali evokes memories of that wonder goal that sealed Proline FC\u2019s 4-1 win over Myda to reach the ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/ssali-hasnt-given-up-on-arsenal-dream\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Uganda\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-08-17T21:32:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-08-17T23:24:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/uganda\/sites\/34\/2023\/08\/sm_1692298134.495409.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1620\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/ssali-hasnt-given-up-on-arsenal-dream#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/ssali-hasnt-given-up-on-arsenal-dream\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Ssali hasn\u2019t given up on Arsenal dream\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-08-17T21:32:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-08-17T23:24:44+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/ssali-hasnt-given-up-on-arsenal-dream\"},\"wordCount\":678,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/ssali-hasnt-given-up-on-arsenal-dream#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/uganda\/sites\/34\/2023\/08\/sm_1692298134.495409.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Africa Press\",\"Africa Press-Uganda\",\"uganda\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"sport\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/ssali-hasnt-given-up-on-arsenal-dream#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/ssali-hasnt-given-up-on-arsenal-dream\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/ssali-hasnt-given-up-on-arsenal-dream\",\"name\":\"Ssali hasn\u2019t given up on Arsenal dream - 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