Amavubi have disappointed Rwandans with their abysmal performance over the past two years and it is a burden that then head coaches Vincent Mashami and Carlos Ferrer couldn't help to carry alone anymore.
Mashami was denied another chance when his contract expired in Februsry 2022 but his successor Ferrer couldn’t fix the situation either until he decided to quit the hot seat in August to embark on a new coaching adventure with Belarus.
It was another wasted two years during which Rwanda failed to win any competitive game since they beat Mozambique on March 24, 2021 in an AFCON qualifier.
Seemingly, many Rwandans have virtually lost hope in the team as there seems not to be a clear-cut pattern in both players’ performance and the managerial aspect.
One cannot deny the fact that, aside player's output, having a great coach who is well versed in the job also plays a great part in attaining success.
Greece, in 2004, had big name or renowned players in their ranks but, with a great manager in Otto Rehagel, they outweighed Portugal to lift the Euros.
Rwanda has good individual players, there is no doubt about that. The likes of FAR Rabat defender Emmanuel Imanishimwe, Hakim Sahabo and Co. have shown that, when given the opportunities, they can compete with the best in the world.
The country's biggest problem has always been about recruiting underperforming coaches and poor scouting to identify players who can fit the bill.
ALSO READ: Who is Torsten-Frank-Spittler, the leading candidate for Amavubi job
Ferrer left Amavubi in August to take up the Belarusian national team job leaving the country to rely on technical director Gerrard Buschier who only took charge of the last 2023 AFCON qualifier against Senegal.
Now, Rwanda is set to appoint a new coach as the country hopes to defy all odds and qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup which will unfold in United States, Canada and Mexico and German tactician Torsten Frank Spittler is the frontrunner for the job.
Spittler’s coaching profile is far from big. He is a virtually unknown coach who has spent his entire coaching career with lower football nations and clubs.
Yes! We cannot judge a book by its cover as Ratomir Dujkovic was an unknown figure before he qualified Amavubi to the first ever AFCON in 2004 and the Black Stars of Ghana to the 2006 World Cup. His CV has since become a big one.
Spittler can even do more than that considering the fact that football has revolved tremendously over the years. Now there is technological advancement in the game which has made coaches work very easier.
What should Spittler do to attain success?
Should he take charge of Amavubi, his first major test would be against Zimbabwe and South Africa in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. At least four points out of six from those two games will give him a bright start to his tenure.
Success is not achieved on a silver platter and Spittler must put in place serious measures to make sure the team succeeds.
Identifying the right talent should top his priorities upon appointment. Previous Amavubi coaches failed to do proper scouting in the domestic league and they only had their attention on players from APR FC, Rayon Sports, AS Kigali, Kiyovu SC and Police FC.
This season has shown that there are other quality players from small teams like Musanze FC who are leading the Primus National League table after since after nine match days.
Aside those who play outside the country, local players should not be selected in Rwanda squad just because they in the Big Five clubs. Mid-table clubs have also shown that they’ve got talented players who deserve a call-up in the national team.
Again, Rwanda's position (140th) on the FIFA Coca Cola rankings is not encouraging, signaling the country’s significant decline in football.
The next coach needs to improve and winning games is the only solution. The more you win the better the ranking.
Rwanda’s best ever position on the world ranking was a 68th position achieved in December 2014 under English man Stephen Constantine. Now look how far the country has gone! Spittle rust show up save the East Africans from the downfall.
What departments should Spittler improve?
Currently, goal scoring is the main problem that has persisted in Amavubi who scored just four goals during the AFCON qualifiers and only one was scored by a striker in the person of Gilbert Mugisha.
Spitler must look for better strikers who have a nose for goals or, with his expertise as a trainer scout, he can also groom some young talents and turn them into prolific goal hunters.
Rwanda needs a striker with a similar prolife to Jimmy Gatete or country’s all-time goal scorer Olivier Karekezi. The pair would score any time and a striker of their caliber would undoubtedly change everything ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Also, things should not be done in adhoc manner and Amavubi must at least play a friendly game before every competitive match as it helps the team to be in top form.
Certainly, the predecessors of Spitler promised a lot but delivered less as they all quit with unimpressive numbers.
The German trainer has the chance to write history and better his own CV with Rwanda.