Watunda hoping for third time lucky

KINSHASA (Reuters) -- Louis Watunda was appointed to take charge of the Democratic Republic of Congo's national team after the side qualified for the 2002 African Nations Cup finals last June.

Watunda was coach when the Congolese were surprise semifinalists at the Nations Cup finals in Burkina Faso four years ago but was fired after the team lost a qualifier in Madagascar a year later.

The 53-year-old has been in charge of the side three times, first for three matches in 1993; then for games matches over 12 months from February 1998 and has had two matches to work with his team since taking over for the third time last August.

Watunda is a former coach of AS Vita, the most popular club in the country, and goes to Mali having spent three months preparing his team at training camps in South Africa, Belgium, Turkey and Burkina Faso.

 

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