Peace Cup winners Rayon Sports have appointed Djuma Masudi as head coach, with their former captain signing a three-year contract until 2020, the club officials have said. Olivier Gakwaya (L) and Djuma Masudi after the signing of the new contract. Courtesy. The former Rayon Sports star had been appointed interim coach in the second half of last season and led the club to the second place in the league, behind champions APR FC, and to the 2016 Peace Cup title after beating APR 1-0 in the final. The former Burundian forward re-joined Rayon Sports last November in the capacity of assistant coach under Belgian tactician Ivan Minneart, who ended his ties with the club in February this year to join Kenyan side AFC Leopards. “Yes, I can confirm that Masudi has signed a three-year contract. The decision to give him the job was informed by his performance as interim coach last season, which we considered a success,” Rayon Sports secretary general Olivier Gakwaya told Times Sport. Gakwaya added, “As interim coach, his task was to win both the league and Peace Cup titles but he managed to win the Cup and finished second in the league, the team also played better and with more confidence under him.” For winning the Peace Cup for a record 9th time, the first in nearly 11 years, Rayon Sports will represent Rwanda in next year’s CAF Confederation Cup. Masudi, 39, was voted Revelation Coach of the Year for the 2015/16 season, piping APR’s Tunisian coach Nizar Khanfir and Etincelles’ Innocent Seninga to the accolade. Khanfir and Seninga have since parted ways with APR and Etincelles, respectively. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
