English football development specialist Nicholas de-Long has joined the Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) as an officer responsible for youth football development, talent identification and coaching development.
FERWAFA said de-Long’s appointment is part of efforts to strengthen the structures for developing young players and identifying talent that can contribute to the future of Rwandan football.
The Englishman brings experience from several football institutions in England and abroad. He has previously worked with Portsmouth, Southampton, Bristol Rovers and Norwich City in England, as well as Aris FC in Greece and the India national team.
At FERWAFA, his responsibilities will focus on strengthening youth development programmes, improving talent identification and supporting efforts to raise the standard of coaching in Rwanda.
The appointment comes as the federation seeks to address long-standing concerns over the development of young footballers, an area widely regarded as crucial to building a stronger pipeline for the national team and domestic clubs.
Rwanda has often faced criticism over the limited structures available for consistently identifying and nurturing young talent, with gaps in youth development also affecting the pool of players available to the national team, Amavubi.
De-Long’s arrival is therefore expected to add technical expertise to FERWAFA’s efforts to establish a more structured pathway from grassroots football to elite competition.
Youth development was also among the priorities highlighted by FERWAFA president Shema Ngoga Fabrice during his campaign for the federation’s leadership.
The federation is expected to use de-Long’s experience to strengthen youth programmes while supporting coaches and improving the systems used to identify and develop promising young players across the country.
