Competition for national team call up is healthy - McKinstry

The inclusion of up to 11 new players on the national football team that commenced a 10-day training camp yesterday, at Amahoro Stadium will widen the pool for selection of players. Amavubi head coach Johnny McKinstry has said. Following the absence of APR players who are currently playing at the ongoing CECAFA Kagame Cup, the Irish tactician is keen on evaluating the new crop of players that will ultimately increase the competition for places on the national side. “We are starting to lose players for the CHAN team because of transfers to foreign teams and we could have some injuries so we have to plan ahead and bring in new players to increase our player pool and in the long run, it is healthy to have players compete for places on the starting XI,” explained McKinstry in an interview with Times Sport. The departure of central defender Emery Bayisenge and defensive midfielder Jean Baptiste ‘Migi’ Mugiraneza to Lask Linz FC in Austria and Azam in Tanzania respectively last week, has left a void in those positions; a situation McKinstry is keen on addressing as soon as possible. James Tubane who was selected for the friendly game against Zambia in March, Jean Marie Rukundo and Amani Uwiringiyimana provide options in central defence while Imran Nshimiyimana has impressed McKinstry in the absence of Yannick Mukunzi, Andrew Buteera and Djihad Bizimana who are playing for APR at the CECAFA Kagame Cup. “I expect the new players to try and understand tactically what we expect from them. They will need to soak up as much information as possible and be open to new ideas. I do not expect them to understand everything in one day because it will take some time,” explained McKinstry. The CHAN Amavubi side is expected to take on the Nigeria U-23 national football team on July 25 at Amahoro Stadium as the ‘Dream Team’ prepares to face Congo Brazzaville in the return leg of the Rio 2016 Olympic/CAF U-23 qualifier in Brazzaville on August 2. Nigeria won 2-1 on Sunday in Port Harcourt.

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Competition for national team call up is healthy - McKinstry