Champions APR FC is considering using foreign players, especially in CAF competitions, if its homegrown squad struggles to shine on the continental scene ahead of the CAF Champions League campaign next season. APR’s early elimination in the CAF Champions League last season, whose final takes place on July 17 between holders Al Ahly and South African side Kaizer Chiefs, was disappointing for both the club’s hierarchy and Moroccan head coach Adil Mohamed Erradi when Kenyan champions Gor Mahia knocked them out in the preliminary round. Despite dominating the local scene, APR have not performed well in continental competitions, particularly since the ‘home players only’ policy was adopted. The premature exit from the competition prompted criticism about the policy. Football fans and pundits have since been pressing the club’s hierarchy to reconsider their policy and start signing a few foreign players to strengthen their squad. APR chairman Lt. Gen. Mubaraka Muganga, however, defended the club’s policy, insisting that his administration is building a club that can challenge and succeed in African competitions, and will be targeting the group stage next season. The army side has gone unbeaten for the past two league seasons but they haven’t transferred their home form on the continental scene. “We gave ourselves two years to make it into the group stages of the CAF Champions League. The first attempt failed, so we have one more chance next season. After that, we will sit down and discuss necessary changes that need to be made,” Muganga told Times Sport. The club may have won their 19th league title last week and booked a ticket to represent Rwanda in the CAF Champions League next season but pressure continues to mount on the administration to sign foreign players who can contribute to APR’s ambitious vision to at least reach the CAF Champions’ League group stages, their main target next season. In response, Muganga admitted that his administration doesn’t take pride from the club’s current performance in African competitions and hinted that the club could consider bringing in foreign players should homegrown players fail to impress in the champions’ league next season. “Our biggest regret is dominating domestic football but end up failing to impress at bigger stages in Africa. And if our homegrown players continue to fail in achieving our target to extend our domestic domination on the continent, then we will consider getting some foreign players,” he said. APR FC will participate in a number of competitions next season including the national football league, CECAFA Kagame Cup and CAF Champions league. “We have many competitions ahead of us and if our local players don’t perform as we expect, then we will look for one or two foreign players to help us challenge at bigger stages,” Muganga explained.
