Paske good but not enough

I am not a fan, so don’t get me wrong, please. Four points clear at the top of the table with four matches left [before this weekend], Atraco are within a shot of a second successive league title. The defending champions increased their hopes of retaining the league with a not-so-convincing but a morale boosting 1-0 win over their closest challengers APR last weekend. A draw would have changed nothing for both teams but it’s the result that Rayon Sport, the other team challenging for the title wished for as it would leave them within touching distance of their first league title since 2004. But with the Blues going through bad times off the field and the threat of the turmoil affecting the players, the best they can hope for is second place, which also won’t come without a fight as its current occupier (APR) have never finished below second in the league and haven’t given up the title fight [just yet]. APR have won the league a record nine times in 14 seasons compared to Rayon’s four and Atraco’s one but after last weekend’s defeat, they are in danger of not adding a tenth title at least as far as the current campaign is concerned. Saturday’s defeat was the second in four matches for Erik Paske and it came on the back of the club setting a new scoring record in local football in form of a 22-0 win over second division side Etoile de l’est in the MTN Peace Cup preliminary round. Paske’s debut as head coach after replacing his compatriot Rene Feller ended in a 2-0 loss against Egyptian side Haras El Hodoud in the first round return leg of the Caf Confederation Cup last month. In-between the two defeats against good opposition, APR managed two wins against a second rate side (Etoile de l’est) on an aggregate of 25-0 goals over two legs. For their title aspirations, there was no way APR could afford not to get anything from Saturday’s game but they did and in the process, damaged their hopes. The two teams played one of the most boring game of football ever seem from them-- even during Andy Mfutila’s era, APR played better in patches and that’s saying something. Paske looked good as an assistant and he has the potential to be a good coach but the two games against El Hodoud and Atraco showed cracks in his ability tactically and influence to lift his players when the going gets tough. A good coach knows that his presence on the touch line, not just sitting on the bench [arms folded and looking clueless] but moving round, shouting out instructions and rallying his troops lifts the players’ spirits but last Saturday, Paske barely got off his seat the entire game! In contrast, his opposite number Sam Timbe took turns with his assistant Emmanuel Ruremesha to scream instructions to their players and it worked in a game that never looked like providing a goal after 80 minutes until an inspired second half substitution of Andre Lomami scored the winner a minute later. If Atraco beat AS Kigali on Saturday and APR fails beat to Police on Sunday (today), that will signal the end of the road for the latter’s title hopes—still in the same equation, if APR don’t get three points on Sunday, provided Rayon beat Marines on Saturday, Paske’s team will finish the weekend in third place. And for a team used to being number one year in year out, finishing a second successive season without a league title is not ideal yet the situation could even be bleaker if APR end the season in third place and also don’t win the Amahoro Cup. That will mean the country’s biggest and most successful club will not be involved in continental football (neither Champions League not Confederation Cup, not even Cecafa) for the first time in 15 seasons. Personally, I can’t wait to see how the club’s management reacts if we end up with such a state of affairs because neither they nor the fans are used to it. Like I stated in the intro, I am not a fan but if Atraco wins the league for the second time, they’d merit it, the same if APR fail to win anything this season and also finish behind Rayon. It’ll certainly set up for something ‘exceptional’ from the military side going into next season—I can’t wait. [This article was written before this weekend’s matches]. Contact: nku78@yahoo.com