Amavubi striker Ernest Sugira has said he is enjoying life at his new Congolese club AS Vita. The Rwanda international is back home for pre-season training with his Kinshasa-based side. They are in camp in Nyanza, Southern Province. The 25-year old lanky forward left AS Kigali to join the Kinshasa outfit for a reported US$130, 000 and will be keen to prove his worth under head coach Florent Ibenge, who picked interest in him during the 2016 African Nations Championships (CHAN) finals tournament staged in Rwanda earlier in the year. He has not featured in any competitive game for his new side yet but says the good reception he has since received from his new teammates, management and fans had made him feel at home. At his new club, Sugira says, they train three times a day and “you have to work hard for everything”. When he arrived in DR Congo, his new employers offered him everything they had promised in the contract, including a comfortable car. “I have already made friends in the team, and embraced coach Ibenge’s advice to work so hard so that I can improve,” he told Times Sport in an exclusive interview. “However, the most important thing is to stay fit and perform to the best of my ability.” Asked about his relationship with former Amavubi striker Daddy Birori, currently serving a two-year ban by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for using two different identities for club and country, Sugira said: “We’ve not talked much one-on-one but since he’s been here before, he is playing the role of big brother, advising me to be disciplined and to concentrate on working hard, but I believe we shall talk a lot with time.”“You know he’s not a talkative kind of person; he loves to keep a low profile,” Sugira said of Birori. And the two players have also talked about Amavubi. ““We have talked about his coming back to play for Amavubi but he does not what to do so, neither does he want to talk to the media about the issue; nonetheless, it’s good that he’s back in training and will soon return to action after serving his ban, I look forward to play alongside him”. The former AS Muhanga and APR striker also noted that among his new teammates that have quickly become closer to him is team captain Guy Lisadisu. AS Vita Club are in Rwanda on preseason tour on the invitation of national league side AS Kigali, the two sides having strengthened ties following Sugira’s move to the Congolese club. AS Vita are one of the four foreign (all-Congolese) teams that will take part in the eight-team preseason tournament, scheduled from September 6-16, the others being Daring Club Motema Pembe, SM Sanga Balende and AS Dauphins Noirs. Rwandan sides to participate in the tournament include champions APR, Rayon Sports, Mukura and AS Kigali. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
