Uganda’s women’s national basketball team (The Gazelles) manager, Vicky Ntale, has extended a powerful show of solidarity to Allan Okello, penning a heartfelt letter to encourage the Uganda Cranes midfielder following his late penalty miss at the ongoing AFCON 2025 in Morocco.
In the letter, Ntale, also a former national team player, reminds Okello that sport is built on courage, responsibility, and resilience, applauding him for stepping up in a defining moment and urging him to keep believing in himself as the nation continues to stand firmly behind him.
The Letter:
Those who know me know this very well — I am not a football fan.
And I say that honestly, without apology. I grew up around football. I had friends, neighbors, even relatives who played the game — Ivan Bukenya, Savio Kabugo, Poje, (Sula Matovu) Malouda, even (Ibrahim) Sekajja who I’m related to.
Football lived right next door to me. Yet I never truly watched,
Not once.
And I mean at all.
Football just wasn’t my language
Until the town started buzzing with one name —Allan Okello.
There was something different this time.
Not hype — belief.
Not noise — admiration.
People weren’t just talking about goals; they were talking about how he made them feel.
About hope.
About pride.
About Uganda smiling again.
So I started watching. Slowly. Carefully and started following.
And then attentively.
And that’s when I understood — this wasn’t just football.
This was responsibility.
This was a young man carrying a nation’s expectations with grace.
Missing a penalty hurts.
But only those brave enough to step forward ever feel that pain.
Only leaders accept that responsibility when millions are holding their breath.
The world will talk — it always does.
But those who understand sport, pressure, and sacrifice know better.
Allan Okello deserves his flowers.
Not because he is perfect — but because he is present.
Because he shows up.
Because when Uganda Cranes needed belief, he gave them courage.
When Uganda needed to smile, he helped restore that joy.
And let’s be clear — this moment does not belong to Allan alone.
Football is never carried by one foot, one kick, or one name.
It is carried by eleven hearts, one badge, and one flag.
Every player who stepped onto that pitch carried the nation with them.
Every run, every block, every pass mattered.
Today it may be Allan’s face the cameras follow —
tomorrow it could be any one of them.
So to the entire team:
stand tall.
You did not fail Uganda.
You represented her.
Allan, I speak for every athlete who has ever worn a jersey, missed, doubted, fallen, and still risen:
We are here. We love you. And we stand with you.
Say it again, until it settles in your spirit:
You are Allan Okello.
You are Allan Okello.
You are Allan Okello.
And in case you ever forget what
Allan stands for:
Artistry under pressure
Leadership in silence
Loyalty to the badge
Ambition without fear
Never giving up
Let this moment sharpen you — not break you.
Let it fuel a stronger return.
Let it double the hunger.
Because football remembers the brave.
Uganda remembers those who dare.
And history is still writing your names — together.
Yours Truly,
Vicky Ntale,
Gazelles Team Manager
This is nice. However, we need to let the players do what they do best, play football.
The team handlers need to protect the players and let them focus on playing the game the only way they know how. Nothing else!
If fans bet on games and lose money, that’s their problem.
It’s a football festival. Enjoy it and have fun. The rest will fall into place.
Allan Okello missed that penalty and didn’t play to his potential because he was scared and is letting the whole AFCON experience get to him. I heard it in his previous press conference. Why was he even selected tor media duties instead of more senior players like Aucho and Onyango?
The team lacks proper leadership (see untimely strike and playing to Tanzania’s strength in the second half) and people are pilling unnecessary responsibilities on Allan Okello.
FUFA may have to get experienced behavioral experts to work with the team handlers and the players.