Tucak eyes 2010 World Cup

Amavubi Stars’ head coach Tucak Branko has his eyes set on guiding Rwanda to the finals of 2010 World Cup.

• The Croat made the seemingly ambitious acknowledgment while addressing a press conference on Friday ahead of Amavubi’s opening qualifier against Algeria next Saturday.
• “My number one target in this campaign is to help Rwanda finish top of the group so that we can be in South Africa next year.
• “If I fail on qualifying for South Africa, I have to qualify Rwanda to the Africa Nations Cup in Angola,” Tucak said.
• The 57-year old also commended everyone who contributed to Amavubi’s progress to the third and last qualification round.
• “The aim last year was to guide the team to the third round qualifying phase and I was pleased after achieving that target,” he noted.
• “My players have improved significantly and I believe with the inclusion of professional players, Algeria is no threat to Rwanda,” he boasted.
• “We will handle Algeria like any other team that we’ve played at home. We have enough quality in our team to cause Algeria all sorts of problems home or away.”
• Tucak started residential training last week with a squad of home-based players but the professional have started joining camp.
• Olivier Karekezi and Saidi Abedi Makasi are already in camp while four more including Hamadi Ndikumana, Jimmy Mulisa, Bobo Bolla and Henry Munyaneza are expected tomorrow.
• Meanwhile, Algeria started their training on Saturday in preparation for the Rwanda qualifier.
• Head coach Rabah Saadane started with only twelve players in the training camp while waiting for the foreign based “Fennecs” to join them when they are released from their respective clubs.
• The camp will serve as a chance for Saadane to put the finishing touches on his preparations for their difficult trip to Kigali where fellow North Africans Morocco lost a match in the previous round of qualifying.
• Amavubi Stars hosts Algeria at home in Kigali on next Saturday while Zambia plays away in Cairo to African champions Egypt.