Kentish Express Ashford & District
George’s Sunday best!
George Kamurasi wants to be the first Sunday League goalkeeper to earn an international call-up.
And while that might sound ambitious, the big Ugandan goalkeeper is proving anything is possible in football.
After all, who would have thought his Sunday League team, the SE Dons, would become a YouTube sensation with 191,000 subscribers on their channel?
And who would have guessed his success with the Dons would lead to a regular gig on Soccer AM where, on his last appearance, he saved a penalty from ex-Manchester City man Nedum Onuoha?
“Anything is possible,” said the 6ft 6in keeper, who previously played for Ashford and Hythe. “I want to play for my country, Uganda.
“They’re aware of my talent, the problem is the current keeper is the captain!
“I’ve just got to work hard and it will all come together.
“I want to be the first person in my family to play for my country. It would be a great achievement for me and my parents, who have both passed away.
“If I could do that for them, it would be the jewel in the crown.
“Even to get a call-up would be some honour for a Sunday League keeper.
“I’ve just turned 30 and I’ll play till I’m 50 if I have to. It would be one hell of a story.
“I look forward to walking out and hearing the national anthem and saying a quick prayer.”
The Dons’ videos have attracted millions of hits online and helped Kamurasi land his spot on Soccer AM, after he was voted the best online goalkeeper.
And there’s never been an issue with commitments at current club Herne Bay as show bosses lay on a private car from the studio in Brentford straight to games.
“I’ve been on there about 10 times now,” said Kamurasi, who captained the Dons to Kent Premier Cup glory in front of more than 2,000 fans at Maidstone’s Gallagher Stadium two years ago.
“They did a poll last year asking who’s the best keeper on YouTube.
“I didn’t know anything about it and all of a sudden I had a call from Sky asking if I would be interested in going on there?
“I said, ‘Of course, but how does it work because I play football?’ but they lay on a car to get me to Herne Bay and I have a little sleep on the way, so I’m ready for our game.
“Everyone at Herne Bay is very supportive, the manager Ben Smith and Stuart Fitchie, the chairman.
“One of the reasons I’ve left previous clubs, the same as the other Dons, is they don’t believe in the Dons and it’s negative rather than a positive. Herne Bay don’t see it like that.
“It’s great being on Soccer AM. Fenners and Jimmy Bullard are brilliant and they always get a bit of drama with me.
“I’ve had quite a few good battles on there, Christian Fuchs, Darren Bent, Nedum Onuoha.
“SE Dons is my life, it’s my job, it’s my career, and being able to highlight that on national TV has been incredible.
“How many Sunday League teams can say they’re on Sky all the time?
“We’re the biggest Sunday League team in the world we’ve got a global following - and what we do is so good for the community.
“You always get some negativity, especially when you’re trying to be successful, but life is tougher than football, so football is never going to break me.
“People say being a goalkeeper is a pressure position. It’s not, it’s a responsibility position, to keep the ball out of your net and when you do that, you earn your team-mates’ respect.”