AMAVUBI team head coach Tucak Blanko is not on holiday in his native country (Croatia) but on duty, the local football body (Ferwafa) says. The Ferwafa Chief Executive Officer Jules Kalisa said that Blanko is trying to line up a European friendly game for Amavubi Stars as part of the team’s preparations for the third and final round of the 2010 World/Africa Cup qualifiers. “We sent him to try and line up a friendly game for Amavubi,” Kalisa said. Blanko has come under heavy criticisms by league coaches for not taking his time to fully monitor players before summoning them to the national side. Most players on the Amavubi team have featured continuously for two seasons without any rest thus becoming worn out while committing club duties in national football championships. Kalisa added that the Croat is looking at all possible avenues to build a strong side ahead of the qualifiers. Blanko is expected back before the end of this week to prepare the Amavubi Stars for a friendly encounter with West African Togo on November 19 in the Togolese capital, Lome. Rwanda is drawn alongside Algeria, Egypt and Zambia and is considered underdogs in this group. After failed attempts in the last two Nations Cup qualifiers, Blanko has his hands full as he tries to end that miserable run by helping Rwanda finish inside the top three. The Amavubi Stars open their campaign on March 28, 2009 at home against Algeria, travel to Zambia on June 6 before winding the first leg matches with a daunting away tie against Egypt on July 4 or 5. Ends
