Rayon Sport on Wednesday unveiled Manuel da Silva Paixão Santos as their new head coach who they are confident will return the club to their glory days.

The 56-year-old Portuguese will, according to the club, be assisted by his compatriot Pedro Miguel.

Both tacticians signed a six-month contract with an option to renew it to a long-term deal depending on how he will perform during the remaining league campaign.

Jorge Paxiao has a thorough background in football as a player and a coach. He played for Portuguese premier league clubs and coached different countries in Qatar, China and Europe, especially his home country Portugal, with Primeira Liga side Sporting Braga one of the big clubs he has managed.

He also has experience with African football as coach for Angola and Sudan National teams.  

The tactician will be on the touchline when league action resumes on February 12.

He was tasked to at least lead the club to at least one continental club competition after the club missed out on the chance to represent the country at the continental showpiece during the past two seasons.

"We have to think big and participating at African club competitions is our main objective. We want Rayon to regain its value and its legacy and only move forward,” club president Jean Fidèle Uwayezu said.

Question marks remain whether Jorge Paxiao can write a new chapter and finally bring glory days back to the club and put an end to a poor performances that have characterized the club for the last two-seasons.

The new coach confidently promised to do his best every day to achieve the club’s objectives should he get the full backing from the club management and fans.

"To get anything we want will depend on ourselves. I, the fans, the committee, the players… together we can achieve everything we want, so we have to fight for it,” He said.

Rayon’s new technical staff immediately assume their duties during the club’s training sessions on Thursday, February 3, as the team, which sit third on the league table, prepares for the return leg of the top flight league on February 12.

The club has besides the technical staff, signed five new players in the squad including strikers  Mael  Dindjeke and Musa Esenu, midfielder Pierrot Kwizera who returned to the club from AS Kigali, Kevin Ishimwe and Christophe Bukuru.