"We are not afraid of any team currently, we are in top form, if you bring Real Madrid, we can play against them."

These were the words of Rayon Sports head coach Robertinho Oliveira after his team thrashed traditional rivals Kiyovu Sports 4-0 in a Rwanda Premier League week 8 game

This is a clear assertion by a coach who is full of confidence and who believes in what his charges can do.

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Second comings are always dangerous especially in football. Jo Bonfrere&039;s second coming to coach Nigeria ended in a mess, Bukhard Ziese and Kwesi Appiah were not successful in their second spells coaching Ghana, even at club level, Jose Mourinho's second stint at Chelsea didn't end well. Several others can be mentioned as examples.

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For the case of Rayon Sports, few people gave Robertinho the chance to have a good start in his second spell at the club. This is a league which has, for over the past half-decade been dominated by the Blues’ closest rivals APR FC.

The last time Rayon won the title was during the 2018/2019 season when the Brazilian coach was at the helm.

Robertinho’s first stint at Rayon, which dates back June 19, 2018, was a great one, one that brought history to the club where he propelled them to the CAF Confederation Cup quarter finals.

After leaving Rayon, Robertinho coached Gor Mahia, Vipers and Simba before returning to the Blues in June this year. He made history by qualifying Vipers to the Group stages of the CAF Champions League for the first time in their history in 2022.

Rayon, prior to re-appointing their former coach in July, had been far from convincing in the domestic league since his departure. They finished as runners-up in the 2019-2020 season, 4th in the 2021-season, 3rd in the 2022/23 season, and again runners-up in the 2023/24 season.

The run has been nothing but a total disappointment which has visibly felt by supporters who often voiced their frustration, calling for club management to step down as long as they can’t deliver the title which APR have won during the past five straight seasons.

It is early days of the 2024/25 season yet but there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. Rayon started the season with two consecutive draws against minnows Marines and Amagaju. Many people raised question marks about Robertinho's tactics but he quickly bounced back and got the team up and running, winning 7 games in a row.

Robertinho’s side now sits at the top of the league table with 23 points from the 9 games they have played.

Some of the Rayon Sports players are already brimming with confidence and they are optimistic they have what it takes to win the league title.

"It is possible we can win the league. We are on course and we have to continue winning our games," Hadji Iraguha told the press after scoring twice in their 4-0 win over Kiyovu.

What has worked for Robertinho so far?

Rayon's attack marshaled around Senegalese striker Fall Ngagne is on fire, the lanky forward has netted four goals so far in 10 games for the Blues.

Fall is so dynamic and, though he plays number 9 role on paper, he commutes between 9 and 10. This gives skipper Kevin Muhire a free role to operate. Muhire has provided a whopping 6 assists in 9 games so far this season.

Again, Rayon's acquisition of Richard Ndayishimiye has been a plus for the team; he is a box-to-box midfielder full of energy and he perfectly gets the defensive duties in midfield.

Moreover, the partnership between defensive partners Youssou Diagne and Aimable Nsabimana, which struggled in the first two games, is finally clicking. Now, the duo plays with so much telepathic understanding and they complement the work of each other.

Will Robertinho pass APR test?

Despite Rayon's bright start to the league, which has seen them winning 7 games and drawing twice in 9 games, people still feel they haven't faced their biggest test yet.

The Blues have a rescheduled match day 3 league game with defending champions APR at Amahoro Stadium on December 7 and this game will be the major litmus test for Robertinho to show his title winning credentials.

Games between the two teams can make and unmake a coach and Robertinho is fully aware of that. You either become a hero or a villain in games between Rayon and APR as a coach.

Robertinho played APR twice in the league games during his first stint in 2018. On December 12, 2018, he lost 2-1 at the hands of APR despite playing with a man down. When the two teams met in the return round on April 4, 2019, Rayon Sports the army side 1-0 courtesy of a late Michael Sarpong penalty.

At least, Robertinho knows the atmosphere of the derby games and what it entails in Rwandans. This game will prove whether he is really in to wrestle the title from APR or he is just flattering to deceive.

In the nutshell, credit must be given to Robertinho though it is early days yet. He has at least built a winsome team at Rayon in just some few months since he arrived.