More than 50 coaches have applied for the national football team (Amavubi) coaching job. The Rwanda Football Federation (Ferwafa), Chief Executive Officer Olivier Mulindahabi, has said.

The Amavubi coaching role fell vacant after the resignation of Englishman Stephen Constantine last month after serving just eight months. Ferwafa’s Technical Director Lee Johnson is currently the interim coach.

"We have received over 50 applications from across the world and we shall make a shortlist by the end of this month. We shall then name the head coach on March 15,” Mulindahabi told Times Sport.

Mulindahabi emphasised that Ferwafa is keen on hiring a coach who has alot of experience, ambition and one who will introduce an attractive football philosophy that suits the Rwandan style of play.

Ferwafa technical director Lee Johnson explained that it is very important that the institution selects a suitable coach for the job ahead of the 2016 African Nations Championship (Chan) that will be hosted in Rwanda.

Former Sierra Leone coach Johnny McKinstry who guided the West African nation to their highest Fifa ranking – 50th last year is in the running for the top job as well as former Azam and Sofapaka coach Stewart Hall who is currently in charge of the Tanzania U-17 and U-20 national sides.

Former Rayon Sport and APR coach Andy Magloire Mfutila who has also been part of the coaching staff at Congolese giants TP Mazembe and AS Vita has declared interest in coaching the Amavubi.

According to sources close to Ferwafa, Englishman Roy Barreto formerly with Zimbabwe and former Rayon Sports coach Gomez Didier da Rosa from France are also believed to have applied for the top job.

Top local coaches including AS Kigali coach Eric Nshimiyimana, Andre Cassa Mbungo of Police FC, APR interim coach Vincent Mashami and former Amavubi assistant coach Jean Baptiste Kayiranga told this paper that they will not be applying for the Amavubi job.

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