Hassan Kagwa: How the mercurial left footer got off track

World over, there are a lot of extremely promising young soccer players that never live to realise their full potential.

From injuries to discipline, there are lots of reasons are raised for such stagnation or failures but in the end, the biggest portion of blame goes to the lads themselves.

In Uganda, many have been blamed for losing focus amidst all attention while many think that being talented is just enough to have a successful career.

One self-destructor is Hassan Kagwa. Nicknamed ‘Hassan Sas’ in reference to Turkey legend who lit up the 2002 Fifa World Cup, Kagwa is a product of now defunct Jogoo Young, SC Villa youthful side that groomed so many stars.

The once left footed maestro earned promotion to the senior side and spent over six years at Villa before he joined Simba SC.

He had joined Villa in 2005 as a young lad and won the Uganda Cup in 2009.

But at a time when everyone though he could become one of the great talents in Uganda, his contract was terminated by army side Simba SC.

Although reasons were not made public, it later emerged that Kagwa was accused of being gay and that didn’t go well with the team management.

That was the end of what was a blossoming career as he literally quit the beautiful game.

It was later revealed by local tabloid, ‘Red Pepper’ that Kagwa was part of the group of young lads that was inducted by ex-SC Villa and Uganda Cranes manager into LGBQT.

Mubiru was convicted of homosexuality and sentenced to 10-years in prison in September 2015 but acquitted in April 2016.

Mubiru had been sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay the alleged victim 50 million Ugandan shillings, or about $15,000, in compensation. The alleged victim had testified that he had been drugged and the sexual contact was involuntary.

The conviction was for having carnal knowledge of a man against the order of nature.

Mubiru had been in prison since September 8. He was released Tuesday.

He is allegedly responsible for destroying a generation of players including Kagwa who was once seen as a future superstar.