Raoul Shungu is expected to arrive in the country this afternoon for talks with Rayon Sports officials.

After waiting for so long, Rayon fans will at last welcome back the man who coached the club during its most successful period when he sets foot at Kigali International Airport at midday aboard Sabena airways.

Shungu’s arrival was confirmed yesterday by the club president Paul Muvunyi who has been consistent throughout whenever the issue of Shungu returning to the club comes up.

 "Yes, he (Shungu) is arriving today at midday and we’re all existed to welcome him back at the club.

"He’s the most successful coach this club (Rayon) has ever had; however, his coming doesn’t mean, we’ve already reached any agreement of any sort with him,” Muvunyi noted.

The soft spoken Rayon president added, "He coming for talks and if everything goes according to plan, then there won’t be any problem reaching a sustainable agreement between us and him.”

Raoul, as he is best known to local football fans, left Rayon after the 2004 season to take over as national technical director at the Seychelles Football Federation.

Since that time, Rayon has won only the Amahoro Cup in 2005 and has struggled to cope with APR’s dominance.
But Muvunyi said, "I hope he’s return brings back those old good days.

He won the league before he left; we won Cecafa with him and played well in Africa under him.”

Asked if there would be any specific targets the club would wish Raoul to attain before giving him any deal, Muvunyi said, "Yes, we want to be success in all the competitions we take part in and the new coach should able to promise us success.”

"There is the Cecafa not far away, we have the national league and the Confederations Cup, all of which we want to go as far as possible.

And when I put to him the issue of the current coach Thierry Hitimana and his position if Raoul takes over, he said, "Thierry is still young, so he can be assistant coach, but only if he wants to.”

This is thing of Raoul returning to the club for a second spell has been on and off in the last 12 months or so and the club president is, as he put it, ‘happy’ to finally fulfill his pledge.

Since his departure, Rayon has hired and fired coaches with easy. First to test the hot waters was Jean Baptist Kayiranga who was elevated to head coach in the aftermath of Raoul’s shock exit.

Then there was Abu Koroma, Gilbert Yaoundé Kanyanakole, Rene Kalimunda, Antoinne Rutsindura, Bernard Ndiki and the young man in charge at the moment, Hitimana but none of them was able to deliver as the club and it’s loyal faithful demand.

Ends