What Rwanda needs is grassroots football

Editor,While Olivier Karekezi makes a pertinent observation with regard to improving Rwandan football, there’s more to be done than simply professionalising the league and the FA alone can do so little about Rwandan football.

Saturday, April 20, 2013
Amavubi skipper Olivier Karekezi (R) during a past match at Amahoro Stadium. He and his teamates have failed to deliver, leading to coach Michou2019s sacking . The New Times /file.

Editor,While Olivier Karekezi makes a pertinent observation with regard to improving Rwandan football, there’s more to be done than simply professionalising the league and the FA alone can do so little about Rwandan football.One may professionalise the league, but where would the professional league recruit players from? Our country lacks the basic football infrastructure like playing fields at the grassroots level.Actors such as local government, youth, sports, and education ministries should come together and ensure that our young – primary and secondary school going children – have sufficient football grounds where they learn basic football skills.Otherwise, paying exorbitant wages to foreign managers only helps drain our meager resources and that viciously goes on.Rugema Ngarambe, El Fasher,North Darfur, SudanReaction to the story, "Micho’s sacking isn’t the solution, says Karekezi”, (The New Times, April 19)