Hibs ace Rocky names key factor in Easter Road return as DRC defender talks AFCON hopes and family pride
Hibs still trying to get clearance for Bushiri, Chaiwa and Obita to face Rangers
Hibs favourite Rocky Bushiri has revealed that his return to Easter Road was driven by a desire to play in the Africa Cup of Nations kicking off later this month. And the central defender has spoken of his pride at being one of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s footballing “soldiers” aiming for glory in Morocco.
In an exclusive interview with Nutmeg magazine, Bushiri – who missed a month of season 2023-24 for Hibs as the DRC went all the way to the semi-finals last time around – will be absent from club duty for another large chunk of the current campaign. Hibs are currently still in talks with the DRC, Zambia and Uganda over extending the release date for players so that Bushiri, Miguel Chaiwa and Jordan Obita can be available to face Rangers at Ibrox on Monday night.
In the in-depth interview covering everything from growing up in Belgium speaking Lingala and Swahili, to an emotional first trip back to the country of his birth, Bushiri makes it very clear that he is committed to playing his part for the DRC. And he says being part of Sebastien Desabre’s squad was one of the reasons he decided to extend his stay at Easter Road after a summer exploring the opportunities of a free agency.
“I mean, this tournament is very important for me,” he told Nutmeg. “It's a big, big, big challenge. I'm looking forward to it because last AFCON was also joining the team and being part of it, feeling how it is to be in such a tournament, you know, around players from different clubs, bigger clubs, etc.
“But the project of extending my stay here at Hibs was also, there is a big part to be able to go to the next AFCON. Football brings people together. And especially in Africa, if the stadium is 90,000, for important games that means 90,000 people, it's like it means actually everything for them.
President of DRC is a regular at games
“And the president of the country, he's someone that likes football. Most of the times he comes, he watches the game and then he comes in the changing room, have a talk, try to keep everyone motivated and try to remind people how important, what a job we are doing for the country.
“We are like soldiers, you know? We go and have to fight for the country and represent the country in different countries.”
Bushiri was an unused squad member in the last AFCON tournament, but he has become a more frequently used player during World Cup qualifying, with the DRC heading for intercontinental play-offs next March. Before that, they’ve got serious ambitions to go a long way over the next month or so.
“I mean, it's difficult to say expectations because when you have been in the semi-final of the previous one, the expectation is always a bit higher,” he admitted. “But I think countries are ready, like Morocco is organising it, Senegal has been for two years on an unbeaten run and they are in our group. So, I mean, I hope we do our best and go as far as possible.
“The ambition was to try to win this one. But I mean you need to see, you need to be there; you need to feel how things are.”
Read the full sit-down with Rocky, including revelations about being more interested in ‘fighting’ than football when he was a youngster, in the latest issue of Nutmeg by subscribing here.