Rwanda fire national team coach ahead of AFCON qualifier against Ghana
19th August 2016
Ghana's African Cup of Nations Group H opponents, Rwanda have sacked their national team coach, Johnny McKinstry ahead of their African Cup of Nation qualifiers match against the Black Stars in Accra.
The "Amavubi" team which face Ghana on September 3 at the Accra Sports Stadium has parted ways with Mr McKinstry who has been head coach of the Rwandan national team since March 2015.
Rwanda is currently second behind Ghana who sit comfortably at the apex of African Cup of Nations qualification Group H.
With Rwanda's current position on the qualification log, this news comes as a blow as they hope to qualify for AFCON 2017 as one of the two runners up with the best record.
After his sacking became public knowledge, Johnny McKinstry, who has been the Amavubi head coach since March 2015, released a statement expressing his disappointment at being relieved of his duties without prior notice.
Earlier on Thursday morning, prior to his statement, McKinstry had told Times Sport that he wasn't aware of his removal from office saying that; "I have heard the same rumours but, at this point in time, I've not been informed of any anything, so I've no information to that effect."
But hours later, the 30-year-old Northern Irishman released a statement in which he said that he was both "surprised and disappointed" by the dismissal.
"The specific reasons behind the decision have not been made fully clear to me given our performance to date, I am therefore both surprised and disappointed by the announcement today, and that myself and the team will not be able to finish what we started," the Irishman said in the statement.
Former Rwanda international Jimmy Mulisa, who has been McKinstry's assistant, takes over as Amavubi coach on a temporary basis and will take charge of the last 2017 Afcon qualifiers against Ghana on September 3 at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Mulisa was a key part of the Amavubi side that featured in the country's first ever and only African Cup of Nations finals in Tunisia in 2004. By Musah Abelyire/ghanaguardian.com
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