Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix Ethiopia will be welcomed back to the Orange Africa Cup of Nations fold over three decades since they fail to qualify with a tough fixture against defending Champions Zambia.
Ethiopia have participated in the AFCON nine times, and their best performance was in 1962 where they emerged winners. They were the runners-up in the 1957 edition.
They are ranked 110 in the world in the December 2012 FIFA world ranking.
Sewnet Bishaw's assistant coach, Seyoum Kebede announces: "we are returning to the glory day"
Sewnet Bishaw will be among seven local coaches in charge of their national teams at the 2013 finals. The 60-year-old worked briefly as a club coach at Al Ahli Sanaa in Yemen but has spent most of his coaching career at a variety of Ethiopia's top clubs and has had two separate spells in charge of the national team.
Key players
Saladin Seid (Wadi Degla). Age: 24. Position: Forward
Author of vital goals for Ethiopia over the last year in both African Nations Cup and World Cup qualifying. He was top scorer in the Ethiopia league in 2008 and 2009 and moved for a country record transfer fee of 240,000 dollars to Egypt in 2011 after failing in trials at Serbian club Partizan Belgrade.
Adane Girma (St George). Age: 27 Position: Midfielder
Player who is the pulse of the side, running the game from midfield but frequently pushing forward to get himself into good attacking positions. In 2011 he was top scorer in the Ethiopian league and was named the best player. He has won four league titles with St George over the last six years.
Yussuf Saleh (Syrianska). Age: 28. Position: Winger.
Swedish-born winger recently plucked from the diaspora as Ethiopia went in search of players with links to their country to strengthen their side. Played previously at AIK Solna and had a brief spell in the Spanish second division.
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