Rwanda Football Federation (Ferwafa) officially announced the departure of experienced German tactician Torsten Frank Spittler as head coach of the Amavubi on Tuesday night. It has been a challenging few months for FERWAFA, as all attempts to get the German to renew his contract proved futile. His contract actually ended on November 2, 2024, but he stayed on until December. Appointed as Amavubi head coach on November 2, 2023, few people gave Spittler a chance to succeed. Prior to taking the Rwanda job, he hadn’t coached any major football nation. He spent several years in Asia coaching teams like Bhutan, as part of initiatives by the German Football Federation to help develop football in Asia. Amavubi was in disarray before he took over, having gone a solid two and a half years without winning any competitive game. But in only his second game in charge, he defeated South Africa 2-0 on November 21, 2023, in a 2026 World Cup qualifier. Before that, he had drawn 0-0 with Zimbabwe. In his one-year stint with Rwanda, Spittler achieved some of the best results in the country’s football history. He beat South Africa and also defeated Nigeria in Uyo in an AFCON 2025 qualifier. He propelled Amavubi to the top of the 2026 World Cup qualifying group after four games, though they lost the AFCON ticket to Benin on goal difference. In the 15 games he managed in all competitions, Spittler won 7, drew 4, and lost 4, which was very impressive. Will Spittler's departure affect Amavubi? Certainly. The players had great confidence in the German coach, and in several media interviews, captain Djihad Bizimana, Kevin Muhire, and Omborenga Fitina all praised Spittler for his efficiency and the way he transformed the team. They eventually called upon FERWAFA to do everything possible to keep him. Amavubi’s progress may be hindered unless they appoint an experienced coach who is well-versed in the job and can hit the ground running, like Spittler did. The good news is that Nigeria also finds itself in a similar situation, having recently appointed Malian Eric Chelle as their new head coach. He will now try to impose his philosophy on the team. Rwanda will host both Nigeria and Lesotho in March on matchdays 5 and 6 of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The sooner FERWAFA appoints a new head coach, the better. There is no time left, and things must be done quickly so that the new coach can start monitoring players both from the domestic league and those who play abroad. Honestly, no one can take credit away from Spittler. During his tenure, we saw players like Samuel Gueulette, who had been on the fringes, become key components of the team. Djihad Bizimana, Emmanuel Imanishimwe, Kevin Muhire, Innocent Nshuti, Gilbert Mugisha, and many others also improved their game. This is clear evidence of Spittler’s work. What next for Amavubi? Spittler's exit may seem like a big blow for Amavubi, but he has actually elevated the team by putting it in a good position, though there is still room for improvement. Any good and ambitious coach will now want to coach Rwanda, as the team is currently at the top of a World Cup qualifying group that includes Nigeria, South Africa, Benin, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho after four games. The current state of Amavubi gives the new coach a chance to make history. Spittler has done his part, and securing one of the 10 tickets to the 2026 World Cup is not beyond Rwanda. In fact, no one knew Spittler when he was appointed, as he had not managed any major team. But he was able to work wonders for Amavubi. Who knows? FERWAFA could pull off another masterstroke by appointing an excellent coach.
