Taddeo Lwanga gets preseason underway as APR beef up technical bench

The time to get to work for all footballers is now, including Uganda Cranes international Taddeo Lwanga.

The hard-tackling midfielder, who recently joined Rwandan top side APR FC on a two-year deal, has hit the ground running as his side got their preseason underway in Kigali this week.

The engineer became the first non-Rwandan player signed after the club lifted a 10-year ban on signing foreign players.

They have since signed more foreigners, including Nigerian forward Victor Mbaoma and Pavel Ndzila from Congo Brazzaville.

The Rwandan champions have also made changes to their technical bench naming French man Thierry Froger as the new head coach, assisted by Karim Khouda.

Froger is expected to bring experience, especially on the continent, having previously coached Congolese giants TP Mazembe and current CAF Confederation Cup champions USM Alger from Algeria.

The 60-year-old also coached Taddeo Lwanga’s former side Arta Solar during the 2021/22 campaign.

The record 21-time Rwanda Premier League winners are aiming to reach the CAF Champions League group stages for the first time in the club’s history.

Lwanga joins a long list of Ugandan players to have previously featured for the Army side, including Hassan Mubiru, Phillip Ssozi, Vincent Kayizzi, Aboubaker Tabula, James Odoch, Denis Rukundo, among others.

The Rwandan top flight has attracted more Ugandans, including Taddeo Lwanga at APR FC and goalkeeper Mathias Muwanga at the newly promoted Etoile De L Est FC.