Habimana ruled out of Rayon head coach job

Sosthene Habimana will only work in interim capacity as Rayon Sports coach as the club continues the search for a permanent coach, preferably a European to replace David Donadei, who resigned last week, the club secretary general and spokesperson, Olivier Gakwaya has said. “We’re looking for a new coach, however, he will not be a local, even Sosthène (Habimana) is not eligible for the job, not because they (locals) are not capable but because we are looking for a manager, someone who can coach and manage the club,” Gakwaya told Times Sport on Thursday. He added, “We have already started talks with some individuals although it would be premature to mention names at this moment.” Asked if, among the people the club is in talks with include any of the club’s former coaches, Gakwaya said that Rayon Sports would not mind bringing back successful former coaches like Didier Gomez or Luc Eymael. The former SEC Academy trainer Habimana took the club’s hot sit last week, a day after Donadei’s resignation before facing APR FC in the biggest game of the season, which ended in a goalless draw at Amahoro stadium. This is fourth time for assistant coach Habimana to act as interim in a space of 13 months. He served his first stint in September 2014 following an abrupt departure of former Belgian coach Jean François Losciuto and has also coached the club as interim coach on three other occasions. Donadei becomes the sixth head coach to part ways with struggling Rayon Sports in a space of just two years after Gomes (French), Eymael (Belgian), Losciuto (Belgian), Andy Mfutila (DR-Congo) and Jean Baptiste Kayiranga. Frenchman Donadei, who signed a one-year contract at the start of this season, terminated the contract by mutual consent before returning home last weekend. Nyanza-based Rayon Sports, who won the league in 2013 under Gomes, are currently 7th in the Azam Rwanda Premier League table standing with nine points after six rounds of matches. editorial@newtimes.co.rw