Uganda Premier League champions Vipers SC have parted ways with French tactician Denis Lavagne after just four months in charge, bringing another short-lived coaching tenure to an end at the Kitende-based club.

The club confirmed on Saturday, October 24, 2026, that it had mutually agreed to terminate its contractual relationship with the 61-year-old coach, who joined the Venoms in June on a two-year deal.

“Vipers Sports Club informs its stakeholders and general public that it has, by mutual consent, ended its contractual relationship with Mr Denis Lavagne (Head Coach), effective October 24th, 2026,” the club said in a statement.

Vipers thanked Lavagne for his services and wished him well in his future career.

His departure came a day after the team played out a goalless draw against Police FC at St Mary’s Stadium in Kitende, extending a difficult start to the club’s domestic campaign.

Lavagne’s tenure was marked by inconsistent results, with Vipers struggling to establish the form expected of the defending league champions.

The Venoms opened their league campaign with a shock 1-0 home defeat to newly promoted Entebbe UPPC before dropping further points in draws against Maroons and Police FC.

By the time of his departure, Vipers had collected 11 points from six league matches, leaving them fifth in the standings and trailing leaders BUL FC.

The club also suffered an early exit from the CAF Champions League, missing out on the group stage after being eliminated by Mauritanian side FC Nouadhibou in September.

After a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Uganda, Vipers managed a goalless draw away in Nouakchott, losing out on the away-goals rule.

The continental setback was a significant disappointment for a club seeking to establish itself among Africa’s leading sides.

Vipers had appointed Lavagne partly because of his extensive experience in African football and his record of guiding teams through continental competitions.

Lavagne arrived at Kitende on June 30, 2026, replacing Belgian coach Ivan Jacky Minnaert, who had also left the club after the previous season.

The Frenchman brought a lengthy coaching résumé, having managed clubs across Africa, Europe and the Middle East, as well as the Cameroon national team.

During two spells at Cameroonian club Coton Sport, he won four league titles and three Cameroon Cups, while guiding the side to the 2008 CAF Champions League final.

He also led Algerian side JS Kabylie to the 2021 CAF Confederation Cup final and managed clubs including Al-Hilal Omdurman, USM Alger and Azam FC.

Vipers had hoped his experience would help the team maintain domestic dominance while making greater progress in continental football.

However, the early Champions League elimination and inconsistent league results undermined those ambitions, leading to his departure before the season had gathered pace.

Lavagne’s exit adds to a series of coaching changes at Vipers in recent years, raising fresh questions about continuity in the club’s technical department.

The club had dismissed Minnaert in June despite his involvement in the team’s previous league title-winning campaign. Lavagne’s short spell now leaves Vipers searching for another coach to steady their season.

Assistant coach John “Ayala” Luyinda is expected to take charge on an interim basis as the club reorganises its technical setup, although Vipers had not announced a permanent replacement by the time of publication.

The Venoms must now focus on regaining consistency in the Uganda Premier League while preparing for upcoming domestic fixtures, including the Stanbic Uganda Cup.

For Vipers, the immediate challenge will be to stabilise performances and keep their title defence on track after a turbulent start to the season.