How many of you have started saving for 2010 World Cup? Yes, I mean the next WC in South Africa in two years’ time, being staged in the continent for the very first time in the history of world football. Why not? Rwanda is going to top group C that also includes Zambia, Algeria and record six-time African champions, Egypt. At least that is the ideal picture going through the minds of very many of us, oh no, you. Before the draws, people here feared being drawn against the West African heavyweights or any opposition from that part of the continent and God wouldn’t have answered our prayers any better, (see Para. 2). Everyone has had a different reaction to the draws and what they particularly mean to Rwanda’s Amavubi Stars and the chances of qualifying or not qualifying for their first ever World Cup or “at least worst” Nations Cup in Angola. Among the prominent figures, who are of the view that Rwanda can actually make history in world football by qualifying for South Africa, is local football federation CEO. Moments after the draws announced, Jules Kalisa stated, “It’s all about having good preparations than we had for the last round. If we could prepare the team as well as possible, anything is possible.” What plan I know it gone sound crazy to some people, especially given the current atmosphere where people including your columnist, see this as Rwanda’s chance to appear at the 2010 Nations Cup in Angola but it’s not going to be as easy as it sounds. What happens when Kalisa, not him as an individual but in his capacity as a top football federation official talks of World Cup for Rwanda at best or Nations Cup at worst and we don’t achieve any? Wouldn’t somebody be held responsible? When Rwanda qualified for CAN2004 in Tunisia, there was no comprehensible plan for the team, but with a bit of good luck, every thing worked our way. I remember one journalist Marcel Museminari, who was working with New Times at that time; in his article, calling it ‘Mother luck’. After the honeymoon of playing at the finals of the continent’s biggest football showpiece was over and with things going wayward, the federation administrators, led by Maj. Gen. Ceasar Kayizari were forced out of office on orders from the current Minister of Sports, Joseph Habineza (I like to call him Uncle Joe). In my view, things went wrong because the administrators then had long term plans for certain things (read federation headquarters which houses the football academy) and not for others including the senior national team and they paid the price. Fast forward. When the current administration of Brig. Gen. John Bosco Kazura took office, they vowed to do things “their way” and indeed they’ve managed to do exactly that, though with more resources and less pressure. The last two qualifying campaigns for World Cup/CAN2006 and CAN2008 have been a big disappointment. As for the current campaign, I am glad the team progressed to the next stage but from there onwards, it can’t get any tougher. Rwanda has never been in such a situation and it’s going to take more than just good preparations to even qualify for CAN.I’m sure when you ask the Ferwafa and Sports ministry people if they have a clear plan for the team as far as the campaign is concerned, the answer will inevitably be yes but only time will tell, if history serves me right. To even think of beating Zambia, Algeria and even drawing with Egypt at home before dreaming of a point in Lusaka, it’s going to take more than just taking the team to train in Europe or even promising the players all the money is the world if they beat so and so home or away. Bold shoulders I bet Afande Kazura, Uncle Joe, Branko Tucak and his staff, the players, the media and anyone else connected to Rwanda’s cause in this campaign, have an unprecedented workload on their shoulders. We can talk of all the necessary mathematics, the possibilities and all that stuff (some people, like I said early, are already talking of South Africa or Angola at worst, which isn’t a bad idea to be optimistic) but we all need to readjust our shoulders and make them bolder as the task ahead, to be a success will need more that, to say the least. Yet, one thing above all, we must have a common clear plan. Nobody should be left out of the whole process because just as we talking of getting vital points off Zambia and Algeria, they are also thinking exactly the same for us, which is going to make it a lot harder, especially for Rwanda, who rivals and neutrals see as the group underdog. Has it crossed your mind that Zambia and Algeria are richer than Rwanda and have been in these kinds of situation before and that both have a good record against Rwanda in past meetings? Yes I like the optimism in us, but loyal sentiments aside, have you thought of a situation where we could finish bottom of the group after failing to even beat Zambia at home? Yes, on paper, you would expect Amavubi to get maximum points off Algeria and Zambia at home; unfortunately football is not that straightforward and can be cruel sometimes. All these are possibilities and in any case, with football anything is possible. We could qualify for World Cup or Nations Cup or both much as we could dither as we normally do and miss both. Just my opinion. Contact: nku78@yahoo.com
