Ivan Minnaert joins elite foreign ranks at Vipers SC with eyes on silverware

Vipers SC have officially unveiled Belgian tactician Ivan Jacky Minnaert as their new head coach, making him the ninth foreign manager to take charge of the Uganda Premier League giants.

Minnaert arrives at Kitende with the huge task of becoming only the third foreign coach to guide the Venoms to domestic glory—following in the footsteps of Miguel Da Costa and Robertinho Oliveira, the only two foreign managers to have tasted success at the club.

Da Costa steered the team to their 2017/18 league title, while Robertinho delivered a historic double, clinching the 2021/22 league title and the 2021 Stanbic Uganda Cup. The Brazilian also etched his name into Vipers’ history books by becoming the first coach to guide them into the CAF Champions League group stages.

However, several others—Ambrose Duru Chukuma (Nigeria), Michael Nam Ouma (Kenya), Javier Martinez Espinosa (Mexico), Leonard Martins Neiva (Brazil), Roberto Luiz Bianchi Pelliste (Brazil-Spain) and Nikola Kavazovic (Serbia)—have failed to live up to the club’s high expectations.

Minnaert joins a coaching lineage that includes not only foreign tacticians but also local legends such as Edward Golola, a two-time league winner, Fred Kajoba (RIP), Alex Isabirye, and the co-coaching duo of John Ayala Luyinda and Fred Muhumuza, who delivered the most recent title.

Since winning their first league title in the 2009/10 season under their former name Bunamwaya SC, no club has lifted more league titles (7) than Vipers in that span. KCCA have claimed 5, Express FC 2, while SC Villa and URA have each won it once.

As the 2025/26 season approaches, the weight of expectation now lies on Minnaert’s shoulders to continue Vipers SC’s golden era and possibly lead them to even greater heights, both domestically and continentally.