Editor, RE: “Rwandan football needs a dose of home-grown solutions” (The New Times, August 25). The persistent appointment of ‘already-made’ coaches who are coincidentally foreign seems to me as a quick fix attempt—and there are no quick fixes. I agree with the author that changes in our football system must be top-down rather than bottom-up, reasoning being that for a change to take place it must be initiated by the most senior officials not the junior officials. Root and branch restructuring cannot be successful if those at the top aren’t willing to embrace and enforce change. I agree with that management on the pitch isn’t the problem, but it is part of the problem. Have we ever paused to compare ourselves with countries that have had success at the international level? All those nations, from Argentina and Brazil to Croatia, Germany, France and Portugal started the process of success by investing time and resources in developing their own, no quick fixes. Overall, I agree with the author – change is needed and giving our own a chance is a fundamental part of this change process. Joel
