Tucak Branko is ready to mend his tattered relationship with the local media ahead of the third/final round of the 2010 World/Africa Cup qualifiers. The Amavubi Stars head coach who has in the past earned a reputation of not being friendly to the local media told Times Sport recently that he is ready to mend his relations with the local media. “Personally, I don’t hate the media but I want to work with organised journalists and to be organized, we all have to be professional in what we do,” Branko said. Branko has requested Ferwafa media spokesman Jean Butoyi to act as a mediator in creating and harmonizing good working relationships between him and the local media. “We should sit down with Butoyi and find a concrete solution to this burden. We will not be at loggerheads for good because this is likely to affect our lines of work.” “The earlier we improve on our working relations, the better for Amavubi and Rwanda football in general,” Branko said. For starters, Branko imposed media blackout on Amavubi team after a humiliating 4-0 away loss to Sudan’s Desert Hawks in the first leg, first round of the African Nations Championship Khartoum. On their return, it is reported that nobody on the traveling team was allowed to make any comment. This ‘rule’ even applied to the traveling contingent that was led by Ferwafa’s Chief Executive Officer Jules Kalisa. Just like other members on the team, Kalisa turned down any request for an interview. This blackout continued even in the second round of the 2010 world/Africa qualifiers where press conferences were only held on request of Ferwafa’s media spokesman and Branko. But Branko now wants full cooperation ahead of Rwanda’s tough challenge in the final 2010 World/Africa qualifiers which get underway in March, 2009. Rwanda has been drawn against Egypt, Zambia and Algeria in Group C in which the top three teams would qualify for Angola 2010 Africa Cup of Nations while the group winners would book a ticket for 2010 World Cup. Ends
