In being on the five-player shortlist of those that will contest for this year’s Caf African footballer of the year award (designated for those who play on the continent), at a ceremony that will be held in January, Dennis Onyango just realized another milestone in his career.
This followed his league title success with Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa in May, Cranes qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) for the first time since 1978 and, above all, being the first Ugandan footballer to win the Caf Champions League (CCL) in October and play in the Fifa World Club championship this week in Japan.
However, does Onyango merit a seat on the same table as greats such as Phillip Omondi, Polly Ouma, Jimmy Kirunda, Majid Musisi and Paul Hasule?
“Of course not yet,” said Tom Lwanga, who played at the 1978 Afcon where Uganda were runners-up.
Lwanga’s view is based purely on longevity of success.
He said: “Onyango’s best form has been seen in the last two seasons only. He needs to be more dominant to be equated to players like Omondi, Kirunda or even Musisi. Maybe Onyango may squeeze into the top 10 players, I do not know.”
But to coach Sam Ssimbwa, a former Cranes winger, Lwanga is just being too extravagant to suggest that Onyango can make the top 10 Ugandan players ever.
While he agrees that Onyango has made some unprecedented achievements like the CCL, which is tremendous, Ssimbwa said The Cranes number-one can, at best, compete in his generation.
“Although Onyango is good, he is not even the best goalkeeper this nation has had. Joseph Masajjagge, Paul Ssali and Sadiq Wassa were way up there,” said Ssimbwa.
For the record, Onyango admitted that Wassa was his childhood idol; so, eclipsing him must have been one of his career dreams. And by playing professional football and winning the top African prize in club football, Fred Tamale, a former Express FC and Cranes star thinks Onyango has hit the right notes. But it takes a lot more to be great, Tamale said: “You have got to be an influential player for a protracted spell.”
Having been the player that scored the first goal at Namboole stadium in February 1998, when Express FC beat SC Villa 1-0 in a league opener, Tamale was crowned an icon. But Tamale knows that alone could not be enough unless it is followed up by many more such decisive moments.
For now, Onyango still has quite a bit to make up for the period from 2009 to 2014, when he could hardly get a look in while at SuperSport United, Bidvest Wits and Sundowns, playing second or third fiddle. In fact, Onyango is first to admit, that he needs to keep working hard to remain on top of his game, which is guarantee for extended public acclaim.
Maybe then, after more remarkable displays, the jury will not have to debate his credentials as one of Uganda’s best. That could begin with success in December, when Onyango and company have a chance to face Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid at the Fifa World Club championship (FWCC).
That would be a landmark. One that Onyango believes can inspire many Ugandan young footballers to dream. He added also that the experience at that level can only benefit The Cranes preparations for the Afcon.
Onyango is not the first Ugandan to be shortlisted for a Caf best player award. These days there are two awards: one for the Europe-based African players, which is more valued, and one for the Africa-based footballers.
But in 1991 and 1992, Majid Musisi’s displays for SC Villa put him on the same shortlist alongside the likes of George Weah, Rashid Yekini and Abedi Pele for best player in Africa. That must speak volumes about what Musisi was; greatness personified, which many do not think Onyango has matched yet but has a chance to.