Kanyankore sacked as APR head coach

Champions APR Football Club have dramatically fired their new head coach Gilbert ‘Yaoundé’ Kanyankore just a month into the role which he inherited following the departure of Tunisian Nizar Khanfir at the end of last season. Kanyankore had signed a one-year contract in July after the club parted ways with Khanfir who had been at the club for about four months. News about Kanyankore’s sacking was confirmed to Times Sport by APR FC Spokesperson Claver Kazungu, who attributed the decision to the former’s failure to lift the recently-concluded 10th East African Community Military Games (in football competition) with APR. The former Rayon Sports and SC Kiyovu tactician had last appeared in charge of the club during the EAC Military Games in Kigali. Kazungu told Times Sport on Wednesday that the 61-aged had, in effect, failed to live up to the terms of the contract he had signed with the military side, which included provision for probation. “He is no longer the club coach because his continuity into the role was subject to winning his first competition with the club which was the EAC Military Games, which he did not, so the club decided to invoke terms of the contract,” Kazungu said. The development comes roughly two weeks after Kanyankore was also shockingly fired four days into Amavubi caretaker role by the Ministry of Sports and Culture. He had been handed the national team duties on an interim basis in the immediate aftermath of the sacking of Northern Irishman Johnny McKinstry, who was shown the exit door following Amavubi’s poor run of results. “The club has begun search for a new coach but in the meantime assistant coach Yves Rwasamanzi will be acting as the interim head coach until the club finds a suitable replacement,” added Kazungu. Kanyankore confirmed to Times Sport that he had been informed of the decision by the club, adding “I was told that I failed my probation and I have to respect the club’s decision”. However, he declined to be drawn into making further comments. The veteran Rwandan coach, who has previously served as head coach in Burundi for many years, including a stint as head coach of Burundi giants Vital’O FC, had been appointed as APR head coach on July 28 replacing Khanfir, who left the club after guiding them to a record-extending 16th league title. Newly named caretaker Rwasamazi will now lead APR in AS Kigali’s pre-season tournament that begins on Thursday with APR beginning their campaign on Friday against Dauphin Noir from DR Congo. APR are in Group A, alongside three other clubs, including AS Kigali, and DR Congo’s Dauphin Noir and AS Vita. Group B is composed of Rayon Sports, SC Kiyovu, Police FC and DR Congo’s Sanga Balende. editorial@newtimes.co.rw.