Football: Ivorian Gérard Goua Bi explains his choice to play for Rwanda
Gerard Goua Bi Gohou
The Ivorian-born player, Gérard Goua Bi Gohou, is now a Rwandan international. He made his debut in a friendly with the Amavubi against Equatorial Guinea. It was September 23. Gohou had been selected with the Ivory Coast led at the time by Sabri Lamouchi. It was in 2013, as part of the 3rd day of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. But he remained in the stands.
Gohou therefore never played a minute with the Elephants , which facilitated his change of sporting nationality. “I will soon be 34 and I still feel young. And it’s not just Rwanda that asked me. In the past, when I presented my Golden Shoe to the Ivorian Football Federation and even to the Ivorian television channels, so that we could follow the footballers playing in championships with little media coverage, I had been contacted by Benin”, he recalls.
How he was recruited by Rwanda
But adds Gérard Goua Bi Gohou, “ I refused to change sporting nationality, because I still had hopes of one day wearing the Elephants jersey. But only God knows why he is now giving me the opportunity to play for a national team.
And to reveal how he was enlisted. “ Regarding Rwanda, I was contacted by Carlos Ferrer (Editor’s note: Current coach of Rwanda) who had trained me in time with Kairat Almaty in Kazakhstan. I did not take time to think. I directly joined the selection of Rwanda which trusts me and I hope that we will be qualified for CAN 2023 in Côte d’Ivoire” , he explained at the microphone of our colleague from Sport-Ivoire.ci to justify his choice.
Gerard Goua Bi Gohou
Written by RUTEMBESA Anicet
Author
NINAHAZWE Dianneeastafricanreport.com
