The name Geofrey Massa is for one reason or the other steadily being endorsed as a household tag in Uganda’s football.
He might be way off the mark in the hierarchy of the legendary Jimmy Kirunda, Denis Obua, Jackson Mayanja, Steven Bogere, Paul Hasule, Majid Musisi, Andrew Mukasa, David Obua or Ibrahim Dafala class, but Massa is not doubt the player on every one’s lips at the moment.
This is attributed to the 4 goals he has scored so far in the AFCON 2015 qualification campaign including an eye catching brace against Guinea at Namboole Stadium on Wednesday.
Kawowo Sports’ David Isabirye looks at the striker’s 10 aspects that have overwhelmingly stood out in his entire football career.
1- 9 clubs in 10 years:
An individual’s success script is never penned in a record time. It often takes some time.
Whereas it varies from person to person, components of luck, diligence and commitment from various individuals.
For Geofrey Massa, they have been 10 or so years of toil, sacrifice and dedicated service.
Since the early days as amateur footballer at Tobbaco grounds in Jinja, Massa featured for the area several non league – teams; Wama and Utoa, before he was recruited by Walukuba football club in the lower tier league of Uganda’s football then.
He then graduated to Mbale Heroes f.c in the super division before he caught the keen eye of Police football club.
He has played professional football with Al-Masry, El Shams and Itesalat football clubs in Egypt, Yenicami Agdelen SK in Cyprus, Jomo Cosmos and lately at the University of Pretoria in South Africa.
2- A god at Walukuba:
Massa’s success ladder has inverted the common biblical adage that heroes are never welcome in their own backyard.
At his home town of Walukuba in Jinja, Massa is worshipped, praised, adored and sanctified in equal measure by all the male, females, young, old, rich and the poor.
Little wonder therefore, Massa pays occasional courtesy calls to Walukuba everytime he is off duty from his professional duty.
3- Humble Background:
Born19 February 1986 in Jinja, Massa grew up as a humbled boy, always willing to learn with patience.
Little wonder, he still has all his childhood Walukuba friends despite his ever escalating ladder of stardom.
4- Workaholic:
A friend of mine once joked; Massa is so hard working on the soccer pitch to the extent he will sweat all the body including the shins.
True, Massa is not only diligent during matches, but also invests an enviable amount of time in private sessions and during team training arrangements.
Massa’s burly structure, direct system of play and blistering pace is a real menace to the opposition.
He is such a workhorse.
5- Tore Namboole Stadium Goal Nets:
Massa’s fierce shots off his right foot are a menace for many goal keepers, later on for the goal nets.
For the record, Massa tore the goal nets at Namboole against Congo Brazzaville. Soccer fans had a scrambled share of the goal nets to be part of history.
6- Most Goals in club:
During his stay at Yenicami Agdelen SK in Israel (between 2011 – 2013), he amassed a total of 49 club strikes.
7- Loathed and Loved in Equal currency:
Massa takes the accolade for the most loved and hated player on the current Cranes team. He is often criticized by a large section of the public for missing ‘obvious goal bound attempts’.
Ironically, the same crowds turn face and praise him aloft everyone whenever he nets beauties.
8- Racile Character:
Massa at first impression could be mistaken for a saint, but like all footballers, Massa is never contented to play the second fiddle role.
Little surprise, he will need divine intervention powers to reconsider his heart to start playing ‘Cranes away ties’ especially so during this campaign when Cranes are on a quest to break the jinx of not playing continental AFCON finals for now 36 years.
10- Professional Career:
Started his Professional career at Egyptian club, Al Masry in 2005, after he caught the eyes of scouts at the LG Cup where Uganda was invited to play in Egypt.
