The battle for ultimate supremacy got underway yesterday, Sunday October 4, but there are a few questions raised on the champions of the last two seasons.

With last the last two year’s title hunt lasting till the last match of the campaign was played, this year’s title promises nail-biters even before the season moves from gear 1.

Now, let us see what we can expect from this season (2008/09) of the local Football League.

The Champions: APR Fc

Chasing an unprecedented tenth national League title, APR Football Club has been in news all this summer, thanks to their usual transfer dealings regarding the best players around (including striker Labama Bokota from archrivals Rayon Sports).

And with the news that midfield whiz Patrick Mafisango has returned to his ‘real’ home and ‘wonder kid’ Jean Claude Iranzi finally making his controversial switch from Kiyovu, the fans and Rene Feller can expect to retain the title that has become synonymous with their club in the last 13 years.

APR’s attacking has to be furious this season if they have to beat bitter adversaries Rayon Sports and defending champions Atraco Fc.

Last season, APR, nine-time League winners struggled to score goals in big games especially in Africa Champions League and the Kagame Cup, one problem they desperately needed to look into going into the new season and one which they’ve managed to solve.

Potential Challengers: Rayon Sports

Looking on haplessly as the League and Peace Cup were swept away by Atraco and APR respectively last season, Rayon has undergone a massive change this summer to be the perfect team this season.

Even with the magic touch of Raoul Shungu, Gikundiro failed to win anything for the fourth year in a row; something which is fundamentally unacceptable for a club of that scale and pedigree.

The blues signed Congolese-born Shungu as their new coach last season and still didn’t win anything and this season; they’ve now brought back their own ‘son’ Jean Baptist Kayiranga to assist Shungu.

Rayon also bought several new players including Marcel Lomami, Mabula Akili, Albert Ngabo, Evra Hakizimana, Godfrey Ossama, Alex Kasongo, and Joseph Kaniki, Alex Mubiru, Theoneste Muhayimana and Hassan Sacha, all of whom they club management believes are of the needed quality to challenge for that elusive silverware.

Also rumors had it that striker Abedi Mulenda and Ugandan midfielder Johnson Bagoole were to join the Blue team but in the end the two players settles for rivals Atraco.

Battle for third: Atraco

Atraco under new coach Sam Timbe have got to make a big change in their team formation after losing their two best players from the title winning team of last season as both Mafisango and defender Ismail Nshutinamagara joined army side APR.

Mafisango and Nshutinamagara both Rwandan international first teamers, are two players any team in this league would struggle to replace.

Their replacement for the former is Ugandan international Bagoole but as for the later, there aren’t many like him around, so that’s a big loss for them.

But first, hold your breath. Atraco’s biggest loss from last season was of their coach Capt. Jean Marie Ntagwabira, a man despite working in unforgiving conditions, still managed to steer the taxi-men side to the league title, their first in three seasons since getting promoted to the topflight division.

Love or loath him, what Ntagwabira did with Atraco, not many local coaches can even dream about. And when you add that to his achievements over the years with APR, it’s when you recognize the fact that with him in still charge, Atraco would have better chances of (successfully) defend their title.

Nonetheless, we should not write off the new man in charge, Timbe before he gets his feet under the table. He’s without any qualms a quality coach with loads of experience both as a player and coach.

You don’t win the Ugandan League and the Cecafa/Kagame Cup with two separate clubs (SC Villa and Police Fc) when you don’t know what you’re doing. Do you?

Apart from Mafisango and Nshutinamagara, the entire squad from last season is still available and with a number of new additions that also include ex-Rayon striker Jean Lomami, Timbe has a quality side to have a good shout at the either the League or Cup but again with continental engagement also on the menu this season, I doubt the squad has enough depth to last the distance.

Mulenda and new signing Bagoole will be the key players for the team. This season, unlike last season, they have to play really hard to secure second spot but third should be good for them. Truth be told, a second title in row is still a mile away, but with miracles happening all around, they need a lot of luck.

Waiting for History: Kiyovu

It is always hard to write them at the end of any list. Because they were once the king of kings (yes, at least they were back in the days before the ‘evolution’ of Rwandan football). Kiyovu is still looking to end their long search for the title.

The difference this season from the previous 13 years could be that they may not be able to start in astonishing fashion where throughout the first leg they punch way above their weight for only to be KOed in the second round.

The team as a whole needs to play their 200 percent if they can expect of any silverware this season. My money on APR winning their tenth title because they are still the best in the game. But soccer is not about one team and that makes it an interesting sport to watch. So support your team (whichever) and enjoy the game more than anything else.

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