Jejje Muhinde,
Rwanda football body FERWAFA unveiled Germany Antoine Hey as the new Amavubi head coach on Tuesday at FA headquarters at Remera, Kigali.
Hey was appointed last month and is tasked to qualify Rwanda to next year’s Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) which will be held in Kenya and 2019 African Cup of Nations finals due in Cameroon.
Addressing the media, Rwanda’s FA president Vincent Nzamwita said that they have appointed Antoine Hey as the Amavubi head coach on a one-year renewable contract deal.
“His is tasked to qualify Rwanda to next year’s Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) which will be held in Kenya and the main objective is to aid our country qualify for the 2019 AFCON finals which will be held in Cameroon.
“We will do our best together with the Ministry of Sports and Culture to ensure that we support him in everything he needs such that we achieve our targets,” said Nzamwita.
On his part, Antoine said he was happy to be in Rwanda, which he termed as beautiful and clean country.
“We have a very tough schedule ahead of us; we are facing a couple of matches in the next six months on our way to qualifying for AFCON and CHAN tournaments and we have no time to waste. We will kick-start immediately,”
Hey replaces Northern Irish Johnny McKinstry, who was fired in August 2016 following a poor run of results.
Rwanda will face Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea and Central Africa in the 2019 AFCON qualifiers. The first game will be against Central Africa Republic in June between 5-13th.
Amavubi have a tough task at hand in the Kenya 2018 CHAN qualifiers where they face neighbours Tanzania in the second round due in July.
The first leg is scheduled to be played between July 14-16 away in Dar es Salaam while the return leg will be at Amahoro Stadium in the weekend of July 21-23.The winner will face Cranes of Uganda.
The continental tournament set aside for players who feature in national domestic leagues across Africa will be staged in Kenya from January 11, 2018 to February 2, 2018.
Rwanda made her second appearance as they hosted the 2016 edition of the competition, where Coach McKinstry led his side to the quarter final berth – losing to ultimate champions DR Congo 2-1 in extra time.
Hey, former midfielder with FC Schalke 04 and Birmingham City during his playing days is making a return to Africa for the fifth time.
His first adventure in the continent was with Lesotho between 2004 -2006. He left for the Gambia afterwards, but his stay was short-lived as he fell out with the federation over money matters.
Hey moved North to coach Tunisian side US Monastir in 2007, before leaving to take over as Liberia’s coach (2008-2009).
His last job in Africa was with Kenya’s “Harambee Stars” a job he held from February to November 2009. After a short stint full of disputes with Kenya’s FA over his salary and team selection, Hey walked out on the team shortly before a final World Cup qualifier against Nigeria
