Vipers SC appoint Belgian tactician Ivan Minnaert as new head coach
Uganda Premier League champions Vipers Sports Club have officially unveiled Belgian football tactician Ivan Jacky Minnaert as their new head coach.
The club confirmed the appointment through a statement on their official website on Friday, describing Minnaert as a “massively experienced Belgian gaffer.”
Minnaert, 58, brings with him an impressive résumé built over two decades of coaching across Africa and Europe. A holder of the prestigious UEFA Pro License since 2012, he began his managerial journey in Spain, where he coached from 2002 to 2013.
His career has since taken him to the Maldives, Mali (Djoliba AC), Rwanda (Rayon Sports—where he led the club to a historic CAF Confederation Cup qualification), Kenya (AFC Leopards), Guinea (AS Kaloum), South Africa (Black Leopards), and Libya (Al-Ittihad Tripoli).
In a landmark achievement earlier this year, Minnaert guided Liberian outfit FC Fassell to their first-ever First Division title, becoming the first European coach to win the domestic crown in Liberia. He stepped down shortly after, citing personal reasons.
Minnaert now takes over the reins at the Kitende-based outfit and will work closely with the club’s existing technical team of John ‘Ayala’ Luyinda and Fred Muhumuza. The duo were instrumental in guiding Vipers SC to a domestic double in the 2024/25 season.
In their announcement, the club emphasized that the new coaching trio will work in unison to “elevate the club to new heights,” as Vipers aim to consolidate their dominance on the domestic front and make a strong impression on the continental stage.
