Abdul Mbarushimana: The visionary

Club: ElectrogazAppointed: 05/05/2007Age: 39 yrsWeight; 80kgsHeight: 1.75m

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Club: Electrogaz

Appointed: 05/05/2007

Age: 39 yrs

Weight; 80kgs

Height: 1.75m

Featured clubs: Rayon Jnr, Rubungo FC, Mironko Plastic, STIR and Volcanic

Managed teams: Volcanic Jnr, Volcanic Snr, Ntaruka, KIST, Kibuye, Police and Electrogaz.

Honours:

2003/04- Second division national champions with Ntaruka FC
2004/05- Second division national champions with KIST
Abdul Mbarushimana has mounted and raised Electrogaz to an outstanding level in his first full season of the second division national league.

Though he has not led his club to a major championship since its inauguration mid this year, Mbarushimana is confident of awarding his bosses the first trophy for his club.

This is nothing compared to the success he is set to enjoy at the Camp Kigali based club as he hopes to build a team capable of matching the best in Rwanda.

As a player Mbarushimana made his league debut for Rwanda football giants, Rayon Sport junior club in 1983.

Mbarushimana’s playing career was relatively inauspicious. He began as a defender or sweeper for various amateur clubs as he also developed his skills in football.

While featuring for the Rayon Junior side, a second division club, Rubungo FC showed keen interest in him and after two years at the blues’ side, Mbarushimana was signed by the Ndera based club in 1985.

Mbarushimana featured for youthful club for two years and after a period of fruitless harvest, Mbarushimana who was on form during that period was always eyed by Mironko Plastic officials.

In 1987, Mironko Plastic FC while in first division signed Mbarushimana to take part in that year’s national football league.

They however failed to clinch their main objective as they lost the league trophy to then "giants” Pantheres Noires.

He featured for two years at the Mironko based club before plying his profession at STIR FC.

While at STIR FC in 1988, Mbarushimana played a vital role in the success of the club though he never won any silverware for the club. Mukungwa lifted the trophy that season.

But his solid defensive tactics is still remembered by some of the club players and administrators that featured at club in the late 1980s.

He featured for five years at the Gikondo based club before heading to Northern Province where he was recruited by Volcanic FC in the early 1990s.

He featured for first division national football league, Volcanic FC during the 1994/95 season but still his chances of leading his team to silverware were very slim.

Mbarushimana’s first managerial job was at volcanic junior club during the 1995-98 period. He guided the junior side to finish runners-up in the national junior league championship held at that time.

After a wonderful and promising instinct at the junior club, Mbarushimana was promoted to be in charge of the senior team for two seasons.

From 1998-2000, Mbarushimana failed to guide the Northern Province giants, Volcanic FC to escape the relegation zone.

With Rayon Sport and APR lifting the trophy for two seasons respectively, Volcanic faced the exit from the national football league at the end of the 1999/2000 season with the likes of famous players like current APR defender Elias Javier Ntaganda.

However, Mbarushimana’s vast experience could not halt him in being searched for by many clubs in the countries.

Mbarushimana opted to start afresh with second division club, Ntaruka based in Ruhengeri.

In 2000/01 season Ntaruka played victorious game but was eliminated in the semi final of the second division national league by Mukungwa after 2-4 loss goal aggregates to their rivals.

In 2001/02 season, Mbarushimana built up a star-studied side that was focused on qualifying to national premier league but they failed to reach there after they failed to qualify from the group stages.
In 2002/03 season, Mbarushimana guided Ntaruka to the quarter-final stage of the second division national league.

This was the worst season for the Rwandan born coach at the Northern Province club.

In 2003/04 season, Mbarushimana built again a strong team which conquered the second division national league from the group stages to the final stages.

Mbarushimana promoted Ntaruka to the national Premier league in 2004/05 season. However, he was booted out of the club and did not enjoy his fruits of harvest with the club.

During the 2004/05 season, Mbarushimana was recruited by KIST FC, an inaugurated second division club. He promoted the university club to their ever Primus national league.

Right from the group stages, KIST knocked out Mukungwa 408 3-0 to qualify to lift the year’s second division national league and obtain their Primus league qualification.

With the kind of cooperation and unity exhibited not only but their team captain Sosteine Habineza, KIST marched with other club sin the 2005/06 Primus league season, surprising many league dominant clubs like APR and Rayon in the first leg.

KIST finished among the top ten Primus league clubs before the start of the competitive second leg in mid 2006.

It was a poor show for Mbarushimana’s side during the second leg of the Primus league. A team which had finished among the top ten clubs was left battling in the relegation zone and they actually faced exit from the Primus league.

In 2006/2007 season, Mbarushimana was recruited at Kibuye FC, Northern Province based. Mbarushimana led this side to finish among the top six Primus league clubs at the end of the season.

With APR bagging their sixth league trophy, Mbarushimana was club less at the beginning of this year.

Early this year, Mbarushimana was recruited as an assistant coach at Primus league club Police. Working under former Coach and Sierreleone born, Abo Koroma, Mbarushimana was not happy at all thus opted to find other youthful club that he could manage.

In early March, Mbarushimana organized and inaugurated some youthful players into the Electrogaz club. Placed in group A, with Amagaju, Jaguar, Union, Stella Maris, Flash, Rwanda FC and UNR, Electrogaz cruised past the group stages and they are favorite title contenders for this year’s second division league trophy.

Currently, the Camp Kigali based club hammered Aspor 4-0 in the first leg of the semi final stage of this year’s second division league at Kicukiro grounds on Wednesday but many sports fans and administrators in this country are waiting for today to see if Mbarushimana and team can maintain their 100% consistency of eliminating Aspor in the league qualifiers at Camp Kigali grounds.

Much as he is writing his name in the national football history, Mbarushimana admires Aloys ‘Mwarimu’ Kanamugire for his coaching skills which has rated him as the leading coach in the country.

He also admires French international and Arsenal coach, Arsene Wenger for his unfading skills that has kept his English to be the leading champions in Europe.

In Rwanda, Mbarushimana is a fan of both Rayon Sport striker Bokota Labama Kamana and APR midfielder, Kabange Twite because they played a vital role in last season’s competitive Primus league.

Mbarushimana who is blessed with three children is married to Marie Pere.

Though his children are still young, Mbarushimana has a vision not only for his elder son but for the whole family.

‘They must learn how to play football and excel before professionalizing the sport,” Mbarushimana said.

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