Rayon Sports head coach Francis Haringingo is concerned that club skipper Abdul Rwatubyaye’s recent call up in the national team could affect his recovery to full fitness after a six-month injury layoff.
The defender is part of a 24-man squad that Amavubi head coach Carlos Alos Ferrer summoned last week preparing for the forthcoming 2023 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifying tie against Ethiopia slated for August 26 at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, and the return leg on September 3 at Huye Stadium.
However, Haringingo is far from impressed by the Blues skipper’s national team selection given the state of his fitness, based on which, he does not think he is ready yet to play competitive games.
"Let me hope they didn’t give him a national team call up to play. Because using a player like Rwatubyaye, who has been out for six months through injury, to start playing in such a competitive match wouldn’t be a good idea.
Yes, it’s the coach’s decision [to call him up on the national team duty] but I will need to talk to the national team doctor to assess his situation before deciding to play him,” the Burundian tactician claimed.
Rwatubyaye was an unused substitute during Rayon Sports’ 2-1 victory over Rutsiro FC during the opening league game held on Saturday at Kigali Stadium and Haringingo said he didn’t want to risk him yet he has a lot to contribute to the club’s results in future fixtures.
However, he questioned Ferrer’s decision to summon him to the national team yet he was not ready yet to play in the league competitions.
"For me, it would have been better if he trained with us during the next two weeks of international break. I have been helping him to regain fitness during the past training sessions to make sure he does not miss so many games,” he noted.
Rwatubyaye joined Rayon Sports on a two-year deal that will keep him at the club until June 2024, marking a return to the club he helped reach the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup in 2018 before joining Major League Soccer side Sporting KC in February 2019.