Cedric Kaze, Lotfi Afahmia on Rayon Sports radar
Friday, October 27, 2023
Cedric Kaze, the Burundian gaffer who was assistant coach of Yanga SC when they reached the finals of the CAF Confederation Cup in the 2022/23 season, is the number one target of Rayon Sports.

Rayon Sports have penciled down Burundian tactician Cedric Kaze as well as Mukura Victory Sports Tunisian gaffer Lotfi Afahmia as their two main targets for the club's head coach job.

Rayon fired Zelfani Yamen on October 8 following his failure to qualify the team to the Group stage of the 2023/24 CAF Confederation Cup after they were eliminated by Al Hilal Benghazi despite their home advantage over the two legs. They are currently managed by deputy coach Mohammed Wade.

Times Sports understands that the Blues' main priority is to get Kaze to lead the team whereas Mukura Victory Sports Lotfi Afahmia remains their second option.

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Kaze resigned from his job as Namungo FC head coach on October 21 following the club's poor start to the 2023/24 Tanzanian League season which has seen them drawing two and losing four in six games.

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He was previously the assistant coach of Yanga during the 2022/23 season when they won the double and also reached the CAF Confederation Cup final. Kaze chose to step down after his head coach Nasredinne Nabi left for AS FAR Rabat.

The 40-year-old trainer has coached all the male national teams of Burundi.

On Afahmia, it will depend if Mukura Victory Sports are ready to release him out of his existing contract which ends in June 2024.

He joined Mukura Victory Sports during the 2022/23 campaign and helped them to 6th position on the league table while he also propelled them to semi-finals in the Peace Cup.

Another name that was initially considered by Rayon before they switched attention to Kaze and Afahmia was Ivan Minnaert, their former Belgian coach who is now with Djoliba AC in Mali.

The Blues are expected to name a new head coach in November as they hope to wrestle the league title from APR FC.