Why we don't have former players doing media work

The other day, I was having a discussion with a friend on the issue of former Rwanda international sportsmen and women, and why they disappear from the scene as soon they bring the curtain down in their career. The conversation started when this person asked me in my capacity as someone who has been around Rwandan sports for quite a considerable period—nearly 12 years to be precise, the whereabouts of majority of the players, who played at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations finals tournament in Tunisia. Of course, it’s a question that keeps cropping up from time to time because that generation of players will forever be part of the fabric of Rwandan football history, which is why Rwandans will always want to be updated about their one-time ‘heroes’. During our exchanges, we talked about, not just ex-Amavubi players and their whereabouts but also a host of other sportsmen and women in other sporting disciplines like athletics, volleyball and basketball among others, citing examples from other countries where former players have made a name in the media, either as pundits, commentators, or bloggers. For starters, of the Amavubi squad of ten years ago, not many are still actively playing—actually I think it’s only 31-year old striker Henri Munyaneza, who features for Sportkring Sint-Niklaas, currently playing in the Belgian Fourth Division. There rest, including former captain Desire Mbonabucya, Hamad “Katauti’ Ndikumana, Saidi Abedi Makasi, Eric Nshimiyimana, Olivier Karekezi, Jimmy Gatete, Ramadhan Nkunzingoma, Jean-Claude Ndagijimana, Elias Ntaganda, Patrick Mbeu, Abdul Sibomana, Léandre Bizagwira, Jean-Paul Habyarimana, Canisius Nshimiyimana, Michel Kamanzi, Elias ‘Manamana’ Joao, Jean Rémy Bitana, Karim Kamanzi, and Jean Lomami have all retired. However, while some, like the two Nshimiyimanas, Eric and Canisius went into coaching, with the former currently in charge of league side AS Kigali and before that, APR and the national team, while the later is assistant coach at his old club, Mukura. Jimmy Mulisa is currently the Technical Director of national football league outfit, Sunrise FC—the rest, little is known about their current positions and many of them are not even living in Rwanda. As we continued our discussion, we came to a conclusion that the absence from the scene of these ex-internationals leaves a big void in the local media in terms of expert analysts and radio and TV commentators. Why, do I say this? Pre-match, half time and or post-match analysis given by an informed ex-international carries more weight and validity than one by a simple football journalist, like the majority we have in this country. A former player analyses issues from a far more knowledgeable point since he is talking about things he is well versed with because, like it is said, they have been there and done it practically—unlike a journalists, who mostly rely on the assumed knowledge of the game. And because, when talking football, you can’t avoid making comparisons with other places, for instance the English Premier League or even the Kenyan and Ugandan leagues, our discussion vied into how a good percentage of analysts and commentators in those leagues are actually former players—though not necessarily ex-internationals. It’s was on this ground that my friend asked me how come we don’t have former players or ex-internationals doing media work here, a feat that would not only keep them relevant to society that used to idolize them during their playing days, but most importantly earn them a living as expert voices and faces behind the microphones? To this, I told my friend, who is an ardent Amavubi supporter, that I was as baffled as he is and that for so long I have tried to solicit written expert opinions on Rwandan football to publish in these pages but without much success. And, with due respect, I explained to him that most, if not all former players in this country, are either media-shy or simply not good and confident enough to give constructive views on a public forum, and until someone proves me otherwise, I will not hold my breath that the status quo is likely change.

Sports

Why we don't have former players doing media work