Ferwafa backs under fire Micho

NATIONAL football federation, Ferwafa, are not considering sacking Amavubi Stars head coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic despite Rwanda crashing out of the African Nations’ Cup qualifiers and almost certain to lose out in the race for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.Amavubi were pecked 2-0 by Nigeria’s Super Eagles in the return leg fixture played on Saturday in Calabar after the first leg in Kigali had ended goalless back in February.The defeat took Micho’s winless streak to eight games, going back to last year’s Cecafa challenge cup final loss to Uganda, a drub 0-0 against Nigeria in the African Nations’ Cup qualifier, a 2-0 friendly defeat by Libya, followed by a 5-1 hammering by Tunisia, then the 1-1 draw with Chad.There was the 4-0 drubbing by Algeria in the World Cup qualifiers, a 1-1 draw against Benin and the 2-0 defeat by Nigeria last Saturday.Despite such glaring not-so great looking statistics, Ferwafa Chief Executive Officer Michel Gasingwa says the Serb’s contract does not have a clause stipulating that he would be sacked if he did not qualify the country to the African Nations Cup and World Cup.“The decision to relieve the coach of his duties is decided by the Ministry of Sports in collaboration with the national football federation, but from what I know, there is no clause in his contract saying that he will be sacked if he does not qualify the team to South Africa 2013 and Brazil 2014.“We need to evaluate why the team is losing and determine whether it is the coach’s incompetence or other factors. It can’t be the coach’s fault alone.“Besides, I think we still have a chance in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, so changing the coach now may not be the right idea,” stated Gasingwa.Rwanda is bottom of Group H with 1 point after two games. Benin tops the group with 4 points; Algeria and Mali are second and third respective, level on 3 points but the Desert Foxes have a better goals difference.Micho, who has coached on the continent for the 11 years, admitted after Amavubi’s elimination from the African Cup of Nations’ qualifiers that this is “the longest winless streak in my coaching career.”Amavubi overhaulThe 43-year old also wants to change the team to give young players like Solomon Nirisarike, Imran Nshimiyimana, Tumaine Ntamuhanga, and Emery Bayisenge more playing time and mix them up with the experienced players like Haruna Niyonzima, Jean Claude Iranzi and keeper Jean Claude Ndoli.“The coach is yet to brief us on his next course of action and I cannot comment on reports of giving young players more playing time. We shall communicate that in due course,” Gasingwa told Times Sport.There is no doubt now that Micho’s next step will sternly be scrutinized by the ever growing impatient Amavubi fans who are desperate for their team to return to winning ways.