APR FC head coach Darko Novic has dismissed reports suggesting that the reason why foreign players underperform compared to expectations is that their Rwandan teammates refuse to pass them the ball during matches.
On Friday, February 7, 2025, APR FC
officials, led by Brig. Gen. Deo Rusanganwa and head coach Darko Novic, held a
press conference aimed at assessing the team's current status before the start
of the second round of the Rwanda Premier League 2024-25 season.
During this press conference, Coach Darko Novic was asked about the rumors circulating within APR FC that Rwandan players are unwilling to cooperate with their foreign teammates and deliberately deny them passes.
The coach strongly refuted these claims,
asserting that both Rwandan and foreign players within APR FC share a high
level of understanding and teamwork.
Darko Novic stated, "I was
expecting this question. This rumor might have originated from fans,
journalists, or even our rivals. What’s disappointing is that I heard many
people specifically blaming Mugisha Gilbert.
"I want to ask you, who are
here today: In our last match against AS Kigali, wasn’t it Gilbert who gave the
ball to Omedi to take the penalty? Could he have done that if they were not
united? I invite you to come and watch our training sessions in Shyorongi so
you can witness the unity among my players."
The first round of the Rwanda
Premier League ended with very few foreign players making a significant impact
in APR FC. The failure of these players to showcase their full potential has
often been attributed to their Rwandan teammates, who are accused of refusing
to play alongside them, with most of the criticism directed at Mugisha Gilbert.
When APR FC eliminated AS Kigali in the Heroes Cup with a 2-0 victory, their first goal came from a penalty. Initially, Mugisha Gilbert was supposed to take the penalty, but he changed his mind and allowed Ugandan player Denis Omedi, one of APR FC’s recent signings, to take the shot.
Omedi scored his first goal for APR FC, an event the coach
referenced to deny any notion of division between Rwandan and foreign players
within the team.
On Saturday, APR FC resumes its
campaign for the league title as they take on Kiyovu Sports in a highly
anticipated match on matchday 16. In the first round, APR FC finished in second
place with 31 points, trailing league leaders Rayon Sports who have 36 points.
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