We deserve some respect

I really get saddened when I see people insult the journalism profession, the line of work that not every Tom and Dick can be able to do. The few that are able to do it not only here in Rwanda but elsewhere in the world, deserve some respect. Whether it’s out of ignorance about how journalists are supposed to work or something else but the thing is that there are people out there who simply don’t think a journalist, for instance yours truly, can have an independent opinion about anything. I’m a sportsman and I believe in the spirit of fair play however, some of our fellow sportsmen—I mean the ones (who matter) we deal with on a daily basis as far as developing sports in Rwanda is concerned are plainly hell-bent not to take any of it (fair play). Politicians call it, ‘taking no prisoner(s) of war’ and unfortunately for sportsmen/women, I don’t have a specific word for it, but I’d refer to it as, ‘lacking the spirit of fair play’. There is a common fondness amongst our local sports administrators, especially the cream of the crop to accept as true that a journalist, with whom they don’t agree on a certain issue, is against them or is simply being used by someone! As someone who always strives to remain as professional, call it objective, as possible in every (journalistic) work that I do, I find it felonious when someone tells me so and so is using me to do what I do—no guys, it real hurts. Since becoming an adult and that’s not yesterday but more that a decade or so ago, I’ve always believed in freedom of speech or the right to have a differing opinion on a particular issue or just a topic of discussion. Yes, I still do and I expect other people, particularly those I relate to and or with in my line of duty to show some restraint whenever we don’t agree on certain things. We just can’t have the same opinion on everything or anything—it’s natural and it will remain so until the end of the world, if you believe it will indeed end one day. That’s why I never really care much because so and so is not happy with what I’ve written about something that isn’t going right for as long as I’ve not gone beyond my boundaries. My boss doesn’t pay me the much he does just for me to make people miserable, no, it’s not like that and I highly doubt it’ll ever change—maybe until someone else employs me to become a PR, which I can ably do by the way. Alright, there may be some sports journalists in this country who are used or can easily be used by someone against someone else but I am not one of them and I’ll never be, whoever thinks otherwise, should get to know me a little bit more—record set straight. I hate referring to myself anywhere near my line of duty or work but I don’t have much a choice, so bear with me at least for the time being. Naturally, people want to be associated with anything good, which is very ok but what happens when what they’re doing is not good yet they have whatever it requires making it good? Will I be doing anyone a favour by praising someone for not doing things right or will I be doing myself justice for writing negative things about someone who is doing things right?Think about it. Anyway, because I believe in fair play and the right to an opinion, I’ll not mention names after all even those people (they know themselves) have a right to their opinions, don’t they? Why attach strings to Katauti’s return? The imminent return of Hamad Ndikumana a.k.a Katauti to national team set up has been received with a great deal of debate not only in the media but also amongst the fans on the street. To those who have known the veteran defender for longer than I do, hold him with high esteem—they speak about him as a disciplined player who has always put his career before anything else. For two years, the ex-Amavubi Stars captain has been in the wildness after falling out with Ferwafa top hierarchy. Reliable sources say, the fallout came as a result of the player’s honesty—I hear he called a spade by its name, which didn’t go down well with some people. And for those two years, appeal after appeal has been made to the local football federation officials to make peace with the player in the interest of the country. This week, the Amavubi fans were greeted with the good news that their ‘Mr. reliable’ has made peace with the Ferwafa—word has it that he actually apologized for his role in creating the situation out of ‘nothing’! For that long, the Cyprus based star has been keen on amending his relationship with Ferwafa hence the chance to play for his country again but the other party has been and is still adamant and they need him to make his apology in writing and ‘re-apply’ to play for his country! What all this for? If the player has accepted to take his share of the blame, why bother him again with all these baseless conditions? Still, if he has acknowledged his share of the blame for which he should be applauded, what have they (Ferwafa) done to make up for their part in the whole standoff? After all it takes two to tangle. Abramovich pays price but Avram should go When Roman Abramovich, sacked Jose Mourinho in October, I remember doing a piece in these columns saying that that was the end of their chances of winning anything this season and it indeed turned out to be exactly that. It wasn’t the cleverest of decisions by the Russian self-made billionaire and he paid probably the right price for it. And I happen to have this funny feeling that had it been the Special One still in charge and not the dull Avram Grant, Chelsea wouldn’t miss out on all four trophies. The Charismatic Portuguese coach wouldn’t allow his superstars to settle for second-best in the league cup (against Tottenham), FA cup (against Bunsley), EPL (two points behind Manchester United) and runners-up to the same team in Champions League. Would John Terry have taken Chelsea’s fifth kick had Didier Drogba not witlessly got himself sent off for slapping Nemanja Vidic? If so, Chelsea paid dearly for one lapse of collective discipline too many since the Drogba incident occurred amid an all too familiar blue mêlée. The Ivorian international’s failure to control himself possibly cost his team as much as Zinedine Zidane’s head butting of Italy’s Marco Materazzi, which fatefully deprived France of a crucial presence in the shoot-out which decided the 2006 World Cup final in Germany. That said but not dusted yet, Abramovich must make the easiest decision of his Chelsea reign and it’s none other than sacking Avram Grant and replaces him with someone like Frank Rijkaard, Gus Hindink or event Roberto Mancini capable of motivating the players to play for him. I fear that’s not happening at Stanford Bridge with the Israelite in charge and about the invaluable work we do, I honesty believe, though I’m not begging, that some of us deserve some respect because we do deserve it. Contact: nku78@yahoo.com