Sir Andy Mfutila, APR’s treble winner

Current Club: APR FcAppointed: 05/12/06Date of Birth: 06/09/1961Previous Clubs: Sodigraf, Interclub (Kinshasa), Motema Pembe, St Eloi Lupopo [DR Congo] and APR Fc [Rwanda]  

Saturday, September 01, 2007

Current Club: APR FcAppointed: 05/12/06Date of Birth: 06/09/1961Previous Clubs: Sodigraf, Interclub (Kinshasa), Motema Pembe, St Eloi Lupopo [DR Congo] and APR Fc [Rwanda]

Honors:

-2007 Primus National League Champions-2007 Kagame/Cecafa Club Championship champions-2007 Amahoro Cup champions-2006 Rwanda Super Cup- 2006 1/8 final of African Champions league with St. Eloi Lupopo-2006 ¼ final of Africa Confederation Cup with St. Eloi Lupopo-2005 1/8 final of Africa Confederation Cup with St. Eloi Lupopo 2006 DR Congo national league runners-up with St. Eloi Lupopo-2005 DR Congo national league runners-up with St. Eloi Lupopo- 2005 FECOFA Awards: DR Congo best coach and coach of the best team of the year with St. Eloi Lupopo-2003 DR Congo national cup third runners-up with Interclub FC-2002 Under-16 national cup champions with L’hopital FC in Lorraine, France-2002 Second Division champions with FC Font Romeu-2000 Third Division champions with SS L’hopital in France

His name is Andia but prefers to be called Andy Mfutila succeeded Capt. Jean Marie Ntagwabira as APR Fc coach on 5th/12/2006 and in his first full season guided the military side to an unprecedented treble.

This is nothing compared to the success he is set to enjoy at the military side as he hopes to build a team capable of matching the best in Africa.

Born in Kinshasa, the capital city of DR Congo, Mfutila made his playing break through in the late 1980’s third division club, Don Bosco Church School Fc.

He joined Sodigraf of Kinshasa whilst completing his apprenticeship scientific studies while at Lumumbashi high school in early 1990’s.

He went on to score vital goals for his club before switching to go professional in Greece in mid 1990’s where he spent two years in while concentrating on football but his profession as a player was in balance as he only targeted to become a coach.

In late 1990’s, Mfutila began to take on coaching duties in France. He started with third division clubs while as an amateur coach.

He moved to SS l’hopital and promptly guided the club to second division championship in 2000-2001 season.

This led to a number of offers from the second division bigger clubs in France and Mfutila accepted the manager's job at FC Font Romeu in 2001-2002 season.

He guided his new club to the second division championship and this was Mfutila’s greatest achievement.

However, more was to come his way as he was signed by former club again, l’hopital FC and went to win the Under-16 championship the following season.

As he successfully won trophies, Mfutila’s key target was to become a professional coach and in 2002 he attained a Diploma in coaching awarded by the French Football Federation.

He also acquired first and second degree universities at French Brevet D’etat in Paris.

In 2002, he was appointed the head coach in Lorraine senior league while in France managing youth clubs; Esap Metz Modelange and l’hopital Moselle.

He was also appointed as a youth trainer for various clubs which included; Esap Metz, Amne Ville, Font Romeu and Canet Plague.

Mfutila was also a football teacher in sport studies in France at both Amne Ville and l’hopital football clubs.

He was also a member of the technical commission in Lorraine’s league, holding courses for youth students holding selections for top coaches to mention but a few.

After piling his credentials, Mfutila returned home to exploit his talent among DR Congo based clubs with an aim of elevating the sport in the country.

In late 2002, he guided Interclub of Kinshasa to third position of the DR Congo football league.

He was recruited by Sodigraf the following year but he unsuccessfully failed to guide his team to one of the top positions in the DR Congo league.

In 2003/04 season local club Canon Motema Pembe signed Mfutila with an aim of guiding the club to one of the continental qualification spot but that was not fruitful.

The following season, St.Eloi Lupopo bided this professional coach for a job at the club.

Mfutila guided St. Eloi Lupopo to the runners-up spot giving them a chance to participate in the African Confederation Cup Champions in 2005.

However; they never qualified from the group stages.

St. Eloi Lupopo lifted the 2005/2006 DR Congo football league trophy, a feat which paved their way to participate in the African Champions league.

They failed to qualify to the quarter-final stages and they were eliminated from the championships and grouped in the Confederation Cup championships.

 They never managed to go past the quarter-final stages of the confederation cup as they were eliminated by former African champions Isimailia of Egypt.

In his tenure with DR Congo clubs, Mfutila was appointed as the national trainer of the national team in 2001.

In 2002, he guided DR Congo national football team to the qualifying rounds of the African Cup of Nations which were held in Mali.

In 2004, he was the assistant coach of the DR Congo national team and guided this team to the qualifying rounds of the African Cup of Nations which was held in Tunisia.

Mfutila has been acting as the national football instructor of the DR Congo football federation before he was recruited by the military side last year.

Since his recruitment at APR FC last year, Mfutila has reorganised the military club to an outstanding level winning vital trophies in his one year tenure at the club.

He recently helped the military side bag their ninth Primus league title.

Mfutila made vital signings such as Mbuyu Twite, Kabange Twite, Lema Mampuya, Boniface Pawassa, Kanu Modeviaga, to mention but a few and these have all made significant contributions to APR’s success this season.

Nevertheless, Mfutila’s desire for success remains as strong as ever, as do his efforts to promote the work of his team and improve the lot of his fellow coaches and the Rwanda game itself.

Prior to the beginning of the 2006-07 season, he appointed a new assistant, Jean David Mukesa Katotola, the DR goals in nine consecutive games towards the end of the season.

In his one year tenure at the club, the military side has won four national trophies, a feat which had never been noticed in the history of the club.

In late December, 2006, he lifted the Super Cup trophy after defeating Atraco 2-1 in the finals.

However that was the beginning era of a successful coach with only a month to go, did he know that he was going to lift the regional club championship.

In January 2007, APR lifted the Kagame/Cecafa club championship after edging Uganda’s Revenue Authority 2-1 in a two-week final held at Amahoro stadium.

However, their African Champions league trophy hunt went bizarre when they disqualified from the championship after a poor misconduct in their return leg against Togo’s Maranatha de Fiokopo.

The first leg had ended 2-0 in favor of the military side in Kigali but after 2-0 loss to Maranatha in the first half of their game in Togo, APR players left the pitch thus had to suffer the consequences.

They were given a three-year ban from taking part from the championship but after the CAF displinary committee reduced the ban from three years, offering them to pay US $ 10000 but the ban was left on APR defenders who caused the chaos in Togo.

Saiddot Aboubakary, Patrick Mafisango and Aloua Gaseruka were banned for one year and six months from participating in any continental and national football championships respectively.

Mfutila guided the military side to their eighth Rwanda cup after defeating Atraco 2-1 in the finals at Amahoro stadium in July.

APR played victorious fixtures from the group stages till the finals, a record which also went into the club history of the Rwanda Cup championship as the only team unbeaten.

After a hectic and competitive season, Mfutila guided APR to their ninth league title level on points with rival Rayon Sport but with a wide goal difference of eight goals which were recorded from their last league fixture where they thrashed Zebres 8-0 courtesy of Kabange Twite(4), Andre Lomami(3) and Abba Rassou.

Despite a few disappointing defeats in this year’s league, Mfutila has proved his doubters wrong and further cemented his reputation as one of this year league 's truly great managers. And still he shows no sign of stopping ahead of the start of the new season next month.

Contacts:

E-mail: bonnex10@yahoo.co.ukCell: (+250) 08438743

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