Herbert Bockhorn was a surprise inclusion for many as Uganda Cranes coach Sebastien Desabre named a 46-man provisional squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier game against Tanzania.
The 24-year old defender currently features for Regionalliga West side Borussia Dortmund II, a reserve team of Borussia Dortmund.
Last month, Desabre was in Germany monitoring the player and should have been impressed with his performance.
A FUFA official who preferred anonymity indicated the federation is frantically working hard to secure dual citizenship for Bockhorn.
“We are in the process of frantically securing for him dual citizenship because he currently holds Germany citizenship. The coach wants him to play the game against Tanzania on 24th March in Dar es Salaam.”
Bockhorn was born in Uganda at Nsambya Hospital on 31st, January 1995 to a German dad, Hartwig Bockhorn and a Ugandan mum, Jean Marion Nansubuga.
Later, the family moved to Germany where Bockhorn started his career as a footballer at TSV Melsdorf in 2002.
Nansubuga hopes the process of securing dual citizenship comes out positive because she wants her son to play for the national team according to the FUFA official.
“We almost talk to her on a daily basis and she hopes the process is smooth. The family is positive about Bockhorn featuring for the national team and we only hope that can happen.”
Many players in the caliber of Bockhorn have been called to the national team but the majority have failed to make the cut.
Some of these include; Melvyn
Player Profile
- Name: Herbert Bockhorn
- Date of Birth: 31st, January 1995
- Place of Birth: Nsambya Hospital, Kampala
- Current Team: Borussia Dortmund II
Teams Played for Youth Clubs
- TSV Melsdorf – 2000- 2002
- FC Kilia Kiel – 2002-2006
- SV Werder Bremen Youth – 2006- 2011
- SV Werder Bremen U17 – 2011/2012
- SV Werder Bremen U18- 2012/2013
- SV Werder Bremen II – 2014/15
- SC Wiedenbrück – 2015/16
- Borussia Dortmund II- 2016-
I can understand the yearning by Ugandans to have a European based player or players in the national team. However, as far as modern soccer is concerned, you can be good even if you ply your trade in Paidha Black Angels. These days, the gap in quality between the so-called ‘pros’ and the amateurs is so small.
The Cranes is better off with players in CAF Competitions than with Team B players in Real Madrid, Man City of Dortmund. Ghana and Nigeria have always been very good examples here. They always have players in ‘posh’ clubs that cannot deliver as a team. On the other hand the Arab teams like Egypt, Morocco and so on are examples of players in African teams that regularly compete.
Hope for him it will be exceptional and he will perform to everyone’s expectation. You’re welcome back home.
Maybe the green light grant you a go ahead.
This inclusion of Bokhorn in the Ugandan national team should be an eye opener other players in diaspora should follow suit its an excellent idea and will transform our team from mere participants to serious title conteders. we cannot only rely on local semi or poorly trained players Senegal did that and it worked,DRC is doing the same and they are far ahead of us anyone who reasons that Onduparaka is far better than Dortmund 2 is ideologically bankrupt and posting such idea is doing injustice to Ugandan soccer our onus is to give all a chance and time will tell excellence will come