After his sacking became public knowledge Thursday morning, Johnny McKinstry, who had been the Amavubi head coach since March 2015, released a statement expressing his disappointment at being relieved of his duties without prior notice.

Earlier on Thursday morning, prior to his statement, McKinstry had told Times Sport that he wasn’t aware of his removal from office saying that; "I have heard the same rumours but, at this point in time, I’ve not been informed of any anything, so I’ve no information to that effect.”

But hours later, the 30-year-old Northern Irishman released a statement in which he said that he was both "surprised and disappointed” by the dismissal.

"The specific reasons behind the decision have not been made fully clear to me given our performance to date, I am therefore both surprised and disappointed by the announcement today, and that myself and the team will not be able to finish what we started,” the Irishman said in the statement.

Former Rwanda international Jimmy Mulisa, who has been McKinstry’s assistant, takes over as Amavubi coach on a temporary basis and will take charge of the last 2017 Afcon qualifiers game against Ghana on September 3.

Mulisa was a key part of the Amavubi side that featured in the country’s first ever and only African Cup of Nations finals in Tunisia in 2004.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw