Less than a month after steering Atraco to their first league title, Jean Marie Ntagwabira has resigned claiming the club doesn’t match his ambitions.

"I can not coach a team that does not match my ambitions, that’s why I am leaving Atraco,” confessed the self-claimed ‘Special One’ in an interview with Times Sport yesterday.

Ntagwabira’s league success with Atraco was the fifth of his coaching career, having won four titles with APR, a club with which he lifted three league titles as a player.

"When you lose Mafisango (Patrick), Kodo (Ismail Nshutinamagara) and many others to follow, as coach you must do what you feel is right for you as an individual and for your career.

Rwandan internationals Mafisango and Kodo have crossed to archrivals APR and there are rumors of more first team players leaving the taxi-men club that is going to represent the county in next year’s MTN Champions League and Kagame Cup.

Yet his (now former) bosses didn’t break a rib in accepting his resignation. He had six months remaining on his contract.

"We don’t have any quarrel with him (Ntagwabira) leaving. He took the decision as a man and we all accepted it. We deemed it the best option for both parties,” Atraco’s influential vice president Issa Ngeza told Times Sport.

About the replacement, he said, "We don’t have any immediate plans of looking for a new coach. In the mean time, Ruremesha (Emmanuel) will be in charge.” Ruremesha has been Ntagwabira’s assistant.

Ntagwabira is the second coach to leave Atraco under indistinct circumstances, following Ugandan born Sam Ssimbwa, who was sacked after guiding the club to the second preliminary round of the Caf Confederations Cup in their debut season in topflight division three years ago. 

For his unrivalled credentials as coach by our local standards, Ntagwabira is confident about getting back in the dug-out sooner rather than later but the club must match his ambitions.

There are rumours Ntagwabira could replace Raoul Shungu at Rayon Sports.

Shungu is believed to be unhappy with the way things are punning at the Blues.

Is anyone else envisaging the two swapping dug-outs for next season as I do?

Ends