Each season, millions of Rwandan francs change hands as the top football clubs vie for the best players, for the coming season. Since the 2012-2013 season, Rwanda’s most successful football club, APR, embarked on a policy to only use Rwandan footballers. Whether the policy has been successful or not, that’s a debate for another day. Today, Saturday Sportdiscusses the 25 players that cost the military side over Rwf 300 million in recruitments over the last three seasons – starting from July 2015. During that period, nine players have also been shown exit door from the club, on free transfer or loan deals. Out of the 25 players bought in the last three years, only five; Djihad Bizimana, Muhadjiri Hakizimana, Imran Nshimiyimana, Jean Claude Iranzi and Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza, have been consistently part of the starting line-up since joining the black and white outfits. Some, if not most, of the recruitments were expected to be the next big names but failed to live up the hype. On the contrary, some suffered injury after injury while others completed failed to adapt to the new club or simply because of unknown reasons. There are a number of reasons why a player may ‘flop’, so to speak. More often than not, a player can impress for one club, earning him a move to another club whose differing style of play, tactics and/or management can see him struggle to replicate the form they once showed. Struggling with weight balance, time of playing, injuries, environment, managers and off-field issues are some of the main factors that lead players to fail meet expectations. Flops Yannick Bukebuke: The 24-year old full-back was signed three years ago from Burundian side Flamengo for a reported fee of Rfw 7 million. He struggled to blend in at the club for 18 months before he was released after the 2015/2016 season. He currently plays for Bugesera FC. Bienvenue Mugenzi:Signed from Marines FC in August 2015 for a reported fee of Rwf 4million, the young forward was expected to play a pivotal role in the attack of the military side and had been tipped by many to be the next big name in local football. However, he also got released after two seasons without scoring even one goal for the 16-time champions. Fabrice Ininahazwe:The attacking midfielder joined APR at the start of the 2016/2017 season for a reported fee of Rfw5m – from Burundi’s Amen FC. His value decayed really fast, had a very humble season with a handful games on his name before he was released last year. Currently, the soft spoken midfielder plays for Bugesera FC in the topflight league. Arafat Bahame: The 24-year-old striker joined APR from Etincelles with the army side planning to partner him up with Bernabe Mubumbyi and Michael Ndahinduka. However, the trio combination failed to work and only scoring a handful of goals together before they were all shown the exit door. APR has secured his signature for a reported fee of Rwf 6million. Faustin Usengimana:The Rwanda international joined APR in 2016, in one of the most controversial transfers after six years at Rayon Sports. He was one of the best defenders in the country and was expected to be a lead defender to fill the vacuum left by Emery Bayisenge who had just left for Pro career in Morocco. However, he only played a few games before he was dropped on the bench. A season later, he rejoined his parent club – Rayon Sports. The military side had signed him on a reported Rwf 10 million fee before the ‘Blues’ signed him back for Rwf 6 million, making Usengimana the most expensive defender in local football. Onesme Twizerimana:After crossing from archrivals AS Kigali as one of the shining strikers, Twagirimana totally failed to live up to the status at APR. Despite a staggering Rwf 12 million transfer fee, the forward has only scored one goal after two seasons at the club and is likely to be one of the players to be released after this season. Fred Mucyo Nshuti:Signed from AS Muhanga in 2015, the youngster was vastly compared to Belgian Adnan Januzaj by many pundits, only to be loaned to Marines FC after one poor season. He left the club without scoring a single goal or showing any sign of improvement. He had been signed on a reported fee of Rwf 4million. Omar Ngando:The 22-year old was anticipated to become one of the best defenders in the local league after joining the military side from Burundi’s Vital’O, in 2015, on a reported fee of Rwf 8million. After failing to impress in two seasons, he was released to join AS Kigali last July. Fabrice Irambona: Signed from Burundian topflight league side Amen FC in 2015, the striker’s services were secured on a reported fee of Rwf 6million, only to be released after one season. Innocent Habyarimana:The former Police FC talisman joined APR on a reported fee of RWf 8million after shining at the 2016 African Nations Championship in Kigali. He was expected to be one of the best strikers in the 2016/2017 season but was only at APR for one year before he was permitted to leave as a free agent following a below par season. He currently plies his trade at SC Kiyovu. Imran Nshimiyimana: After guiding Police FC to the Peace Cup title in 2015 and having another impressive campaign with the law enforcers side the following season, Nshimiyimana joined archrivals APR in July 2016 and had quite a maiden season with the military side. However, his form and impact at the heart of the club’s defense started to drop with time but was never dropped out of the starting line-up. He was signed for a reported fee of Rwf 8million. The sensational defensive midfielder was a key player for Amavubi since early 2016, first under Johnny McKinstry and then under German Antoine Hey. Emery Mvuyekure: Since joining the military side from Police FC in 2016, the goalkeeper has been in and out but is yet to be the first choice in APR’s goal sticks. He was signed on a reported fee of Rwf 8million and ever since has been a second choice goal-stopper after Yves Kimenyi. Aimable Nsabimana: The versatile defender was signed in July 2016 from Marines FC, on a reported fee of Rfw 5million and went on to become a key player at the military side before he was ravaged by a series of injuries since beginning of the 2017/2018 season. Blaise Itangishaka:The talented forward crossed from Marines FC to APR in August 2016 on a reported fee of Rwf 6million. Ever since, the youngster has failed to break through as a regular in the starting line-up, mostly because of injuries that have kept him on the sidelines. Over the past last three years, APR have had six different head coaches, one after the other for various reasons. Some were fired, some were demoted to the assistant role while others were taken to the club’s football academy – Intare FC. The six coaches include; Vincent Mashami, Emmanuel Rubona, Nizar Khanfir, Yaounde Kanyankole, Yves Rwasamanzi, Jimmy Mulisa and Ljubomir ‘Ljupko’ Petrovic. Full list of the 25 players 2015-2016 1. Yannick Bukebuke – Rwf7m 2. Bienvenue Mugenzi – Rwf4m 3. Fabrice Ininahazwe – Rwf5m 4. Arafat Bahame – Rwf6m 5. Faustin Usengimana – Rwf10m 6. Djihad Bizimana – Rfw10m 2016-2017 1. Onesme Twizerimana – Rwf12m 2. Fred Januzaj Mucyo Nshuti – Rfw4m 3. Omar Ngand – Rfw8m 4. Imran Nshimiyimana – Rfw8m 5. Aimable Nsabimana – Rfw5m 6. Emery Mvuyekure – Rwf8m 7. Emmanuel Imanishimwe – Rwf16, 5m 8. Blaise Itangishaka – Rwf6m 9. Fabrice Irambona – Rwf6m 10. Innocent Habyarimana – Rwf8m 11. Muhadjili Hakizimana – Rfw14m 2017-2018 1. Fitina Omborenga – Rwf18m 2. Abouba Sibomana – Rwf10m 3. Denis Rukundo – Rwf17m 4. Martin Fabrice Twizeyimana – Rwf6m 5. Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza – Rwf29, 7m 6. Jean Claude Iranzi – Rwf38, 2m 7. Ernest Sugira – Rwf8, 5m 8. Dominique-Savio Nshuti – Rwf34m editorial@newtimes.co.rw
