All the best for Constantine but…

After a long wait, the Amavubi finally got a new coach. In Stephen Constantine, they have landed a man with unrivaled experience and a physique that seems to compliment his demeanor. Once the nitty-gritty details in his contract are smoothened, Ferwafa has promised to unveil the Englishman as soon as possible. In a couple of previous columns, I made it a point to campaign against hiring a foreign manager for the top job – but it seems that what I argued about fell on deaf ears, and I respect that. I believe that officials at the Rwanda Football Federation (Ferwafa) know more about the inner workings of our football than I will ever know, and even with their internal challenges, I know that progress of football is at the helm of their hearts. That said, it’s also tough to admit that Constantine’s appointment proves the pitying situation we have at national coach level. We simply have no quality national coaches. May be Ferwafa wanted a local coach, but couldn’t find one. I wonder why they didn’t stick with Eric Nshimiyimana, but may be they wanted someone with more experience. All in all, we have to move on. We must appreciate the decision and support our lads whenever they represent us. Of all coaches that the Amavubi have had, Constantine has the longest Wikipedia page – a small detail that probably on the onset, propels his shoulders above the rest. But even with this stature, he is no magician. Good results won’t just come rushing in before some credible work is done. Hopefully, he will be given the autonomy to decide how to manage things without influence from Ferwafa. That way, he will be open for positive scrutiny and criticism. For many Rwandans, football is life – and this means that they want to have a night of good sleep after a good result. For a long time now, good results have been scarce – and it is Constantine’s task to bring them back. Looking at his rich history something of a little concern crops up about the Englishman. Constantine hasn’t been the most stable of coaches. The most he spent in one position was when he was managing the Indian football national team between 2002 and 2005. Other times, he has managed Sudan, Malawi and a couple more for only a year – and sometimes, leaving under unclear circumstances, citing “personal reasons”. Well, I hope that Ferwafa has made it clear to him that his role should be bent on rebuilding. It would be naive to expect him to deliver Rwanda to the Promised Land in 2014; therefore, he should give himself more time this time, than he has given to the other nations he has managed. It’s more about rebuilding structures, grooming the young talent and making sure that when he leaves, his legacy is remembered for years to come. @RushAfrican on Twitter