Ethiopian Premier League former champion Wubetu Abate is said to be the front runner to be the latest national team head coach. Criticisms are already coming in saying the vacancy announcement is a readymade dinner jacket for Wubetu who is currently in charge of Hawassa.
The vacancy announcement itself is much criticized for being as usual full of jargons that really need not be included to select the right professional for the right place. One of the requirements is having ten years of experience as a Premier League side coach. This is said to be unnecessary for the individual could be successful in five years yet be short of fulfilling the minimum requirements. “If the vacancy is for England national team Guardiola is not fit to be appointed for he is in his second year with the team,” A sport commentator suggested. “Even with former national coach Sewnet Bishaw member of EFF Executive body, the announcement is an exact copy of the past three or four executive bodies,” he added.
Though Hawassa is currently seventh in the league table with 34 points not far from relegation zone, many appreciate Wubetu for building an entertaining football playing team. A Premier League title champion with Ethiopia Bunna, the former Adama and Ethiopia NegedBank Head Coach Wubetu has two years experience with a Sudanese side thus he is said to fulfill the requirements to win the appointment ahead of any other contenders. Premier League leader Gebremedin Haile, strong title contender Mekele boss Yohanes Sahle and relegation threatened Arbaminch head coach Tsegaye K/Mariam are the other expected applicants for the vacancy.
Wubetu Abate front runner for national team coach
Ethiopian Super League’s Time Crunch
The rainy season is getting stronger, yet the Super League fixtures are just past half way, speculations are flying that the championship might be postponed to next year. However, most of the footballers’ contracts are to be terminated at the end of this month and the annual budget closing is underway.
Though the rainy season started earlier and the down pours are getting momentum, June is critical in the Ethiopian calendar for it is the annual budget closing as well contract termination month. Ten matches means at least another two months which the federation is in no position to enjoy those eight weeks for the heavy rain turns the green pitches in to mud filled ditches. Let alone postponement of the season, the two month extension means huge financial and administration setbacks for clubs and players especially on those teams that aspired and worked hard to earn promotion.
Super League group “B” leaders Baherdar needs to raise additional finance to cover the running cost for the extended season as well to sit and negotiate with the footballers whose contract to comes to an end this month. It is business as usual thus the club is under pressure to comply with the demand of the players’. Does Baherdar have any option rather than going for it and trying to achieve its dream? The new administration needs to find a way to bring all stake holders and discuss a way out from the nightmare of postponement of the season. Early cries of foul are already underway therefore the federation better fasten its belt in good time to tackle potential problems.
Ethiopian muddy cup championship reaches third round
Reigning premier League champions Saint George and league leaders Jimma AbaJifar booked a place in the 2018 Knock Out championship third round fixtures while strong side Mekele was booted out after a penalty shoot-out defeat at the hands of relegation threatened Ethio-Electric.
A muddy knock-out championship at Addis Ababa stadium, Saint George defeated visitors Wolayta Dicha to 1-0 score line. With number of star players absent Saint George returned home with an important victory thanks to Mentesenot Adane’s first half winning goal. Though Wolayta Dicha twice missed golden chances at the final minutes of the first half, it was all about the home side dominating the show. The winner of Hawassa and Sidama Bunna match faces Saint George in the next phase.
A braid from Fitsum G/Mariam including a penalty, Mekelakya trashed out visitors Diredawa after a 3-2 home victory. Though man of the match Dagnachew Bekele grabbed two goals, the muddy field was more to the advantage of “The Army Side” that went through. Mekelakya faces Fasil in the next round.
A goal less away draw against in poor form Ethio-Electric, Mekele’s dream of a semifinal stage turned in to a nightmare after a 4-2 penalty shootout defeat. The two foreign players Nuhu Fuseiny and Achempong Amos missed from the spot therefore Electric made it in to the last six. Electric’s next meeting is against league leaders Jimma AbaJifar.
Ethiopia Bunna returned with a penalty shootout away victory against home side Arbaminch. Baptist Faye gave the visitors an early lead after a defensive blunder only to be cancelled out after just after seventeen minutes through Fekadu Mekonen’s equalizer. “We are battling for a trophy after six years,” Ethiopia Bunna head coach Didier Gomes told reporters.
Ethiopian Bunna demolishes Hawassa
Nigerian Samuel Sanumi marshaled the execution at Adama Ababa Bikila Stadium, as Ethiopia Bunna demolished Hawassa to breathe hot air behind the league leaders. “My players are very determined as well cautious for we are seriously into the title contention,” Ethiopia Bunna boss Didier Gomes remarked.
After an eleven day interruption due to the civil unrest in the sea side town the much awaited showdown moved to Adama thus in favor of title contenders Ethiopia Bunna. In front of “The Brown River” sellout crowd it took only eighteen minutes to open the flood gates through lone striker Sanumi from a spot kick. Hawassa retaliated just a quarter of an hour later through Ferew Solomon’s equalizer from a penalty. An all-out attack from Bunna against defensive Hawassa, Sanumi volleyed the second followed by his third strike from another spot kick in first half injury time.
Back from the dressing room it was one- way traffic all through the second half Ethiopia Bunna added two goals through Samson Tilahun and Haile Eshetu to seal the score line 5-1. The hat trick hero Samuel Sanumi frog leaped into second in the top scorers’ chart with 13 goals that is just four goals shy of JimmaAbaJifar’s goal machine OkikiAfolabi with 17 goals. The heart swelling result means Ethiopia Bunna sits third two points behind AbaJifar and arch rivals Saint George.
Nearly three months without a win Dedebit FC defeated visitors Arbaminch to stay in mid table comfort zone with 37 points while the visitors camped in relegation zone with twenty eight points from twenty seven matches.
