Teenage brothers Olly and Seb Fisher are getting ready for their international debuts with Uganda. They have been invited to train with the youth national teams.
According to a report by BBC Sport on Wednesday, the boys play for Partick Thistle. They can represent Uganda because their mother, Kate, was born there.
Olly is 18 and plays as a goalkeeper. Seb is 16 and is a striker. They have been training with Uganda's Under-20 and Under-17 teams. They say they are excited about the opportunity.
The brothers learned about Uganda's interest around six months ago. Their father spoke with a football consultant during a game in Nigeria.
They later got invited to training camps in August and spent a week in Jinja, in eastern Uganda. Olly said the call-up surprised him.
"A real mixture of emotions. I was quite shocked. I didn’t really think that this was a possibility but I was honoured to be asked to represent Uganda. I thought it was a real big opportunity," Olly said.
Seb also found the experience impressive. He had a hard time believing it was true.
"I couldn’t believe it. It’s one of those things you look at and you’re shocked. You can’t believe it. Most other people couldn’t as well," Seb said.
The brothers have deep family ties to Uganda. Their grandparents lived there for several years after their grandfather went to teach. Their mother was born in Uganda.
"My gran and grandad lived out here for, I think, four or five years. My grandfather came out here to teach in a school then my mum was born here. So, it’s a bit of a strange one," Olly said.
Making History
Laryea Kingston, the head coach for Uganda Under-20, welcomed the brothers. Kingston played for Hearts and Ghana.
Seb mentioned that Kingston said they could be the first white players to represent Uganda. This claim has not been verified.
"Coach Kingston was saying we’d be the first white boys to play for Uganda, which would be history in the making. It is very special," Seb said.
Olly added, "It’s never been done before, so definitely it is very special."
The brothers quickly settled in with their new teammates. They received warm welcomes.
"Everyone has been brilliant, welcoming, really great. The other boys have been brand new with us," Seb said.
Some of their teammates are from the same area where their mother was born. This adds to the connection the brothers feel to Uganda.
Future Goals
The brothers are hoping their time with Uganda will lead to international games. Olly wants to play if Uganda qualifies for next year’s Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations. Seb aims for a spot in the Under-17 squad for the World Cup in Qatar this November.
For Seb, this experience is also a chance to grow as a footballer.
"That’s what you want as a footballer, being in an international environment. It makes you a better player and hopefully it does for the two of us, and I think it will, and benefit us very much going back to Scotland playing at Thistle."
The brothers are set to return to Scotland soon. They will continue balancing their football with their education at Partick Thistle. They remain hopeful for more chances with Uganda.
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