“MY absence could cost Amavubi in Ivory Coast,” said Olivier Karekezi. Now, that’s arrogance of the highest order and for it come from a former team captain, it can’t be taken lightly. If I was Karekezi, I would concentrate on helping my team avoid relegation before thinking about returning to the national team fold, that’s if he can still cut it at the top level, which I personally have my doubts. The former Amavubi Stars skipper must be a frustrated man at the moment on two fronts; first, his club Osters IF is fighting for its life in the Swedish second division, where it’s odds-on to go down (to third tier) and secondly, it appears as though his international career is all but come to an end. Maybe not the way he would have envisaged early in his playing career! The man is so full of himself, and I don’t think such characters should be welcomed near this national team. At his age and his form in the last two years or so, he should be concentrating on earning his last payday cheque other than yearning to be selected for international games. With all due respect, I don’t think Karekezi or many of the older players Sellas Tetteh left out of his squad are needed to the team anymore. Their days in national team colors are well and truly over, they should admit that and leave the young players to take over the mantle. Actually, if Karekezi was half as good to as he believes, he wouldn’t be playing for a second division team in Sweden, which he only joined this year from another relegated team in Norway (Ham Kam). Good players play in better leagues or clubs for that matter, but to be playing where he’s and then start to make irresponsible comments as he did, shows how frustrated the man is. I can’t say I heard him make his disrespectful comments while giving an interview with one of the local provide FM radio station, but going by what has been reported in the media, and if it’s true that he said what was reported, then it’s a shame on his part. If the former APR star really thinks his absence from the team is bad news for Rwanda, he should first look at videos of his performances in the last two years, for both club and country and if he’s happy with his contribution, then he’s in the wrong league and wrong team at the right time. His arrogant comments of how his absence could cost Rwanda against Ivory Coast goes a long way to show his lack of respect for not only the team’s coach but also the whole national team structure, which includes the national football federation. Who does he think he’s to question the coach’s decision? Indeed, if this is how low he has gone in his bid to earn a recall to the national team, then he has taken the wrong route. If he thinks winning a few local league titles and one Cecafa club championship cup with locals side, APR before a low profile move to Sweden make him the greatest of Rwanda, then I don’t deserve to be writing in these pages. His comments, I repeat, if true, show his lack of respect for the team, the coach, his team mates, football in this country, Rwanda as country and above all, all Rwandans. This guy and whoever else thinks like that, must be told that this is a new dawn for Amavubi Stars under Tetteh, who is the best on the continent when it continent to getting the best out of young players. He didn’t win the Fifa World Cup (U-20) and Africa Youth U-20 championship by chance. If I were Karekezi, I would take the snub on the chin like his colleagues did; concentrate on avoiding relegation, a second in back-to-back seasons after suffering the humiliation with Ham Kam last season. Anybody in his situation would simply let his football do the talking instead of doing what he did, which to any professional in his rightful mind would avoid because you’re never going to get away with it. Making such statements as he did, means that he’ll be happy to see Rwanda lose against Ivory Coast or every game they play without him on the team, and in doing so, he tends to forget that even with him and all the older players around, the team has won nowt. As a senior pro with his best days way behind him, he should be encouraging the young players and giving them tips on how to go about such huge international games other than wishing doom and gloom for them and the team as whole. If Karekezi made his statements to get noticed and probably force the Tetteh to change his mind towards him, then am sorry his advisers (if he has any) are not doing the job right, and for his stupidity, it appears to me as though he has dug his own grave as far as his international career is concerned. Who needs a player so selfish, arrogant, (possibly illiterate), and who lacks respect for his teammates around the team? What do you think? nku78@yahoo.com
