The Haitian Football Federation (FHF) announced that it has appointed Edson Tavares Araujo as manager of the men's national team. The four-year contract was the result of a cooperative agreement between the FHF and Viva Rio, a Brazilian non-governmental organization.

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Tavares, who is fluent in French, began his playing career in Brazil with Vasco da Gama before heading to Switzerland, where he lived for 10 years while earning a degree in physical education and a license to coach soccer.

His coaching career has taken him around the globe and included stints in China, Vietnam, Tunisia, Kuwait, Jordan and Switzerland.

The Brazilian arrived in Haiti full of enthusiasm and ambition, noting that the level of national team talent in the CONCACAF is fairly balanced behind the USA and Mexico. He cautioned, however, against the idea that it would be easy to qualify for international competitions, as Haiti did for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

"The expectations are always followed by frustration," said the 54-year-old.

Tavares acknowledged that change will not come easy and that Haiti is still recovering from the earthquake it suffered last January.

"This is not because I am an experienced coach or because I am Brazilian that I will suddenly transform everything. Here, when we come home, the first impression is that this is a devastated country and deserves to be rebuilt immediately," continued Tavares.

"I had an idea of Haitian players who play outside the country. I have a good impression through the girls I've just discovered in Brazil. If the level of boys is not too far from the girls, we can do something. I expect to know better the players I have at my disposal, but I can guarantee a professional job, which will certainly bear serious fruit. But above all think in the long term, I like working with time."

Haiti will start qualifying play for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup in November after receiving a bye into the second round of the Digicel Caribbean Cup.