Sports Minister Habineza searches for sponsors

2012 Nations Cup Qualifiers

September 4

Ivory Coast vs Rwanda
Benin vs Burundi

RWANDA’S football governing body, Ferwafa has ruled out any possibility of engaging Amavubi Stars in any build-up before they play their opening 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ivory Coast in Abidjan on the weekend of September 3-5.

According to Ferwafa Chief Executive Officer Jules Kalisa, the Amavubi Stars head coach Sellas Tetteh has not asked for any build-up matches to be arranged.

"(according to the coach), there is no need of engaging the team in build-up matches ahead of the Ivory Coast. He doesn’t find it necessary that’s why he allowed (his) players to go on vacation. But the team will regroup as usual before playing Ivory Coast,” Kalisa explained.

The U-20 Fifa World Cup winning coach faces a massive test in achieving his main objective of qualifying Rwanda for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations finals which will be co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

Tetteh’s team, which has not done exactly well in the last three qualifying campaigns, will be required to finish as Group 8 leaders or as one of the best three qualifiers if they are to qualify for the continent’s biggest football competition.

Group 8 opponents Ivory Coast confirmed Sven-Goran Eriksson will not continue his work as Elephants coach after being unable to come to a financial agreement.

Since debuting at the CAN finals in 2004 held in Tunisia under the guidance of Djukovic Ratomir, Rwanda has hired and sacked four full time coaches, the latest being Branko Tucak, who was sacked in the aftermath of failing to qualify for the last tournament held in Angola.

In related development, Sports and Culture Minister Joseph Habineza has vowed to convince sponsors to support the Amavubi Stars in their 2012 Nations Cup qualifying campaign.

"I will have to talk to corporate companies to associate themselves with Amavubi such that they can reach far. If the team has the financial support, they will be more than motivated to reach far,” said Habineza.

Ends