Amavubi coach to assess foreign based players

WHILE Saturday’s 3-0 defeat should not be a big cause for alarm for Amavubi head coach Sellas Tetteh, it clearly exposed the team’s inexperience at the top level.

In this regard, the Ghanaian, who was criticised for overlooking Amavubi’s household names like Hamad Ndikumana a.k.a Katauti, Olivier Karekezi, Patrick Mafisango, Lens midfielder Monnet-Paquet Kevin and Bobo Bola among others, is set to fly to Europe to watch Rwanda’s foreign based players in their respective leagues before naming his provisional squad for next month’s 2010 Africa Nations Cup Group H qualifier against Benin.

"I didn’t get time to watch the pros before the Ivory Coast game which is why I opted for locally-based players but I will definitely take time to go see some of them as they play in their respective leagues,” Tetteh conceded.

"It’s not easy to merge pros at once but I believe we will work with more professionals ahead of the Benin qualifier.”
Opting for just two professionals in Louis Aniweta (Cyprus) and Boubakary Saddou (Oman) in Abidjan, Tetteh watched in despair as his wasp were trampled by the mighty Elephants.

It took only nine minutes for the hosts to take the lead when Manchester City’s recent signing Yaya Toure capitalized on indecisive defending from center-backs Didier Kapet and Saddou.

Eight minutes later, Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou made the pair (Saddou and Kapet) look like real amateurs when he beat them to a loose ball to score the second past goalie a helpless Jean Luc Ndayishimiye a.k.a Bakame.

On the 38th minute, Arsenal’s Emmanuel Eboue put the game beyond the harmless wasps when he emerged from the midfield to slot in the third goal.

The Benin qualifier, which will be hosted in Kigali, is slated for the weekend of October 8-10.

Rwanda is seeking a second appearance at Africa’s biggest football competition after making her debut in 2004 in Tunisia.

Ends