Nees says chances still open


By HAMZA NKUUTU
Monday, 16 October 2006

      Rwanda has a narrow chance of qualifying for the next Africa Nations Cup but coach Michael Nees remains upbeat, saying he is proud of his team.

     The German still believes ‘anything can happen’ despite admitting that his team has no chances of making it to Ghana whatsoever. “Our chances to qualify are there but very slim although things do change in football,” Nees stated in an exclusive interview with Times Sport upon the team’s delayed home return from Monrovia, Liberia following 2-3 loss nine days ago.

     With Cameroon cruising on top of Group V with six points from two games, Rwanda is rooted at the bottom without a point after two encounters; Nees admits the West Africans are all but through as group leaders.

Said he: “The Cameroonians were expected to lead the group and that’s exactly what is happening. Whoever thought otherwise must be crazy.

     “If we are to have a chance of going through, it could only be as runners up. It doesn’t matter who goes through as group leader or runners up, the bottom line is to qualify,” said Nees in what sounded like a technical point.

     “There is no scapegoat for losing this match; and people shouldn’t forget that we played in West Africa, losing 2-3. You don’t go there and expect to wash a side so easily,” he reminded his team’s critics.

      The 38-year old rapped his team’s critics saying that they selfishly looked at the negative side and ignored the positive steps the team has taken since he took charge three months ago.

     “I really don’t like these negative criticisms all the time as far as the national team is concerned. I don’t entertain people looking for scapegoats every time things go wrong,” he said.

Artificial turf
    Amavubi players playing on artificial pitch for the first time was the main reason for losing in Monrovia, according to Nees.

“On these artificial pitches, the ball bounces higher than on natural grass, it moves so fast but above all, the pitch was so hard and it made it very difficult for my players.

“We needed about 25 or 30 minutes to adapt to the condition. Most of my players had never played on an artificial ground,” said Nees.

    The coach further revealed how he turned down several opportunities to train on similar grounds during his team’s week-long training camp in Dakar, Senegal prior to the match.

“Because I never expected to play on one in Liberia, I didn’t find it appropriate to train on it. There are 99 percent chances of playing on a natural grass pitch in Africa.”

Bad refereeing

“It slowly starts to get ridiculous in Africa. Away matches should stop to be played with red cards, offside and penalties,” he cried in reference to referees favoring home teams. Nees blames the Nigerian referee for allowing Liberia’s third goal, which he insists was scored from an offside position.

“It wasn’t clear from the position I was standing to see if their player was offside when he scored the goal, however, as soon as it went in, my players protested to the referee but unfortunately it stood.”

mistreatment

“The Liberian FA refused to book for us an appropriate hotel. We were booked in a bad, small and low standard hotel. The players slept five in a room, spraying mattresses on the floor,” he disclosed.

“The first night, I slept in hotel separate from where my players had been booked,” revealed Nees. However, despite the loss, Nees insists that he is proud of his team than ever before, “I’m very proud with the way the team played and I’m one person who is never to be proud so easily.”