Sak Hassan on verge of becoming AFC Sudbury's first international capped player after surprise Somalia call-up for African Cup of Nations qualifiers

When Sak Hassan signed unannounced for AFC Sudbury from Barking over the Christmas period no-one could have foreseen him becoming the club’s first player to gain a senior international cap while on their books.

But that far-fetched scenario is suddenly a touchable reality after a surprise phone call from Somalia’s new Dutch manager, Pieter de Jongh, on the eve of the Yellows hosting Hashtag United last weekend.

The 20-year-old, who was born in The Netherlands to Somalian parents before moving to England aged eight for football, could have been forgiven for thinking it was a wind-up.

But after being named by match-day sponsors The Horse & Groom as their man of the match in Saturday’s goalless draw (see page 38), he said his farewells to his team-mates before jetting off to The Horn of Africa. He will spend the next month with Somalia as they take on Eswatini, formerly named in English as Swaziland, in home and away games as part of their debut African Cup of Nations Qualification campaign, ahead of the 2023 finals.

“It came out of nowhere,” said the east London-based player who started the season at AFC Hornchurch. “I’m buzzing. I’ve not no clue but I probably got watched somewhere in a game.

“It was a phone call. I didn’t pick up the first time the manager called but then I did the second time and spoke to him and he said ‘are you alright to be in the squad for the national team?’

“It was all quick and I’ve had to sort out everything with my passports, Covid testing and all that kind of stuff.”

The fleet-footed midfielder has made 11 appearances for Sudbury, including scoring on his debut at home to Bury Town on January 1 since catching his managers’ eyes playing against them for Barking.

Hassan is due to take part in his first training session with The Ocean Stars tomorrow before looking to stake his claim for selection in their home AFCON qualifier on March 23.

The Mogadishu Stadium, which holds 65,000, was converted into an artificial surface in March, 2020 meaning the Sudbury player may have an added advantage, having grown used to performing on the Yellows’ 3G pitch.

The team then travels the 3,000-plus miles south to Eswatini for the return fixture four days later.

Somalia, ranked 194 in the world by FIFA last month, have only been involved in seven World Cup Qualification campaigns due to the country’s troubled history and have never reached its finals.

Speaking about his time so far at Sudbury, ahead of his departure to Africa, Hassan said: “It has been good. There was a few ups and downs over the last few games but today it was great to get back out there and perform again, getting the man of the match.

“It was a good game, I thought we could have won it but it was unlucky.”

* Goalkeeper Josh Blunkell, who returned to the side on Saturday, will have another trial at Championship high fliers AFC Bournemouth.

* Joint AFC manager Rick Andrews has confirmed striker Ross Wall left the club last month but said midfielder Laste Dombaxe is still a member of their squad, though he has been on trial with higher-league Maidstone. Wall scored three goals in 17 appearances since arriving from Coggeshall Town in mid-November.

Yesterday the club announced the return of Irishman Correy Davidson.