Florent Ibenge speaks frankly about why he chose Azam FC! | OneFootball

Florent Ibenge speaks frankly about why he chose Azam FC!

After years of speculation linking him to Tanzanian giants Young Africans and Simba SC, decorated Congolese coach Florent Ibenge has finally made his move to the Tanzanian Premier League, but with a different club altogether. The man who led RS Berkane to CAF Confederation Cup glory has chosen to embark on a new challenge with Azam FC, the Chamazi-based outfit.

Ibenge arrives in East Africa on the back of a triumphant three-year spell with Sudanese powerhouse Al Hilal. Despite having lucrative offers from clubs in North Africa and the Gulf Region, the former DR Congo national team coach felt a pull towards Azam. His decision seems to be paying off, as he has enjoyed a promising start, remaining unbeaten in his first three matches and successfully guiding the team to the group stages of the CAF Confederation Cup.

Fate has woven an interesting narrative for his continental campaign, as Azam was drawn into a group featuring two clubs from his past: AS Maniema from his native Congo and Moroccan giants Wydad. Nairobi United completes the lineup in Group B.

So, what made Azam the right choice? For Ibenge, it was a matter of genuine desire and long-standing admiration. He revealed, “I came to Azam because they showed that they really wanted to take me.” He elaborated on his career crossroads, stating, “I spent three years in Al Hilal, three wonderful years. And then, the contract came to an end, I wanted to try out something else.”

The courtship, it turns out, was not a recent phenomenon. The coach shared a telling detail about the club's persistence: “Azam came into contact with me in Kinshasa six years ago. So, for a long time, they had been interested. And they came back again this time, we talked, I saw the infrastructure and their vision, and I felt this was where I wanted to be.”

Beyond the infrastructure and vision, it was the club's culture that truly won him over. The 2016 CHAN winner was impressed by the environment at Azam, noting, “So, it’s a very, very good club, well-structured and above all, people who are humble. People who are humble and want to move forward. It is a situation that makes you want to work even harder and please them and succeed in the challenge.”

Now, the task ahead for the former Shanghai Shenhua mentor is a formidable one. He is at the helm of a club, founded in 2004 as Mzizima Football Club, which has only one league title to its name—an invincible season back in 2013/14. His ultimate mission will be to craft a new legacy and break the stronghold of his long-term suitors, Simba SC and Young Africans, at the summit of Tanzanian football.