If there is anything that the Ferwafa administration is good at, it’s playing the waiting games in almost everything they do. They love doing things clandestinely and at times, it looks as though they it’s a hide and seek game. Ferwafa can keep you guessing until the eleventh hour. When Michael Nees was hurled in as Amavubi Stars head coach last September, it was done behind closed doors and so it remained the same case when he was sacked one year later. And again, when Primus pulled out of the deal to sponsor the national football league, no one from Ferwafa came out with any official communication to confirm or deny whatever led to the deal to collapse. They left people to speculate. There are reports of negations going on between the federation and MTN Rwandacel about the later replacing Primus as the national football league sponsors—yet Ferwafa have preferred to keep it a ‘top secret’. On all important issues, Ferwafa administrators believe in press conferences, which they at times don’t call even when promised. Nees’s one-year contract expired on 31st of last month and wasn’t offered a new deal, which left the national team head coach post vacant. In such circumstances, it is highly expected that Rwandans would be anxious to know who will replacement him especially when the national team has the regional Senior Challenge Cup coming up in just over a month. But whenever this question comes up, Ferwafa bureaucrats have done everything possible to avoid giving any hint (probably until the right man has been secured). And the trend continued yesterday when contacted, the federation president Brigadier General John Bosco Kazura declined to comment, only promising to give the details when he calls a press conference he didn’t give the exact date for it. He said, “There are some issues we’re still discussing (he didn’t say with who) and when all details have been exhausted, we (Ferwafa) let you (media) know.” Gen. Kazura could not be moved to change his stand even when this reporter put it straight into his face that the team needs to start early preparations ahead of the Challenge Cup scheduled for December 8-22 in Arusha, Tanzania. “I am aware of all that but like if have said, you will know everything you want to know when the right time comes,” he serenely insisted. About reports that the federation is in talks with the country’s leading telecommunication provider, MTN Rwandacel about sponsoring the national league, Brig. Gen Kazura could neither deny nor confirm. He said, “All that, you know when the right time comes. Like I told you, when everything has been sorted out, we shall let you know, just try to be patient.” Ten foreigners apply for Amavubi jobMeanwhile, ten foreign coaches have applied for the vacant post of the Amavubi Stars head coach, local football governing body, Ferwafa has confirmed. Chief Executive Officer Jules Kalisa disclosed on Sunday that applicants have come from European countries. No African has applied and the deadline (to apply) is next Monday.“It’s yet to be decided who will take up the job but applications have come from different European coaches. “So far, we have received ten applications and we shall soon reveal their identities before deciding who fits the bill to become the next team coach,” Kalisa said. He further noted that the new coach should be named as early as next week so that he gets enough time to select the squad that feature in the regional championship. Unsuccessful attempt to find a new Ratomir Nees beat a host of other high profile names including former Togo national team coach Stephen Keshi, Scredojevic ‘Micho’ Milutin as well as former Cameroonian international Paul Akono to the job last September. He replaced Roger Palmegren who lost the job after an unsuccessful one-year spell, which resulted in the Rwanda failing to qualify for CAN 2006 held in Cairo, Egypt. The Swede had a mountain of a task to match Dujkovic Ratomir’s shoes. The Serb had just qualified Rwanda for her maiden Nations’ Cup two years earlier when it was held in Tunis, Tunisia. After his exploits, Ratomir demanded an improved deal but was denied one, so he called it quits and took on Ghana whom he qualified for their first World Cup in Germany where they reached the second round. He’s now the Chinese U-20 head coach.Ends
