African Kings | Part 4 | Mahtal’s Defence-First Reputation Strengthens

Defensive dominance led Trebor Mahtal to two league titles in three seasons as his San Pédro side wrapped up an impressive Ivorian title success. But, on 1 May 2028, Mahtal handed in his notice to resign one month before his contract expired.

He’d already applied for a couple of jobs while in contract, both of which offered him the vacancy and he delayed for a week. However, upon resigning, they both decided to pursue other managers, which seemed very strange! A few days later, ASEC Mimosas approached him, which would have been completely pointless. He applied for various roles across the continent, including a couple in South Africa that were a little above his paygrade, before eventually being offered an interesting opportunity 800 miles northwest in Guinea, signing a one-year deal on £350 per week.

Who are Horoya?

Horoya Athletic Club is a professional club based in Guinea’s capital city Conakry, the country’s economic, financial and cultural centre with more than 3.4 million inhabitants. The city enjoys massive heat year-round, but endures an incredibly heavy amount of rainfall in its wet season, averaging over 43 inches of rain in both July and August. The club moved into a brand new stadium one week after Mahtal’s arrival, taking up residence at the 5,693-capacity all-seater Horoya Stadium, which is supported by adequate training facilities and academy coaching, below average youth facilites and average youth recruitment.

Horoya was founded in 1975 and is Guinea’s most successful club with 21 league titles, including being national champions in 2025 and 2027, but a 3rd-place finish last season led to Sam Diallo being sacked. The name Horoya means liberty or freedom in the country’s lcoal and Arabic languages and represents the Arabic influence on Guinean society. While the club’s home kit is a combination of red, symbolising the blood of the martyrs fighting for independence, and white, which represents purity and hope.

Horoya play in the Guinean Ligue 1, which is considered the 18th most reputable in Africa, either side of Tunisia’s second tier and the Ghanaian top tier. That’s 8 places above the Zambian top tier and 3 places above the Ivorian Ligue 1 that Mahtal had just left, making this his biggest job so far. The finances at Horoya are surprisingly decent with £522k in the bank, with some worrying dips throughout every season so far. There’s only £41k in the transfer budget with £12k spare in a weekly wage budget of £18k.

The best player at Horoya was 13-time capped attacker Yakhouba Barry, along with fellow Guinea international midfielders Ismael and Daouda Camara, the latter of whom is out for up to 9 months with a ruptured patellar tendon, goalkeeper Mohamed Camara, centre back Ibrahima Condé and midfielder Ibrahima Kouyaté. Mahtal added to that by snapping up striker Papa Baldé for £15k from Génération Foot, promising midfielder Ibrahim Diakité, Malian goalkeeper Bassala Dieng on a free transfer and 19-year-old Botswana international Thatayone Matakule for £8k from Moropule Wanderers.

Mahtal wanted to build his side around the two strikers Barry and Baldé, so he implemented a 5-3-2 with Kouyaté the more attacking midfield option, Barry dropping in as a deep-lying forward, and A Camara dropping into a holding role out of possession alongside I Camara. While Matakule comes into the defence alongside 6ft 4in El Jireh Nsingani and Condé.

Early Clashes with All Guinea’s Title Challengers

The bookies made Horoya favourites to win Ligue 1 with title odds of 7/5, followed by holders Hafia FC (7/2), Kaloum and CI Kamsar (17/2), ASM Sangarédi (13/1) and Milo FC (16/1). And Horoya had to play all of those top five challengers in Mahtal’s first five league games.

Having played all of their biggest rivals, Horoya were just 1 point off the top of the table and had only conceded once. An easier run began with Barry in top form, bagging a superb hat trick while Barry scored twice in a 5-1 thumping of Satellite. And Horoya went top of the league for the first time as Barry’s late goal earned an unconvincing 2-1 victory over FC Renaissance. They lost top spot with a poor 0-0 at Ashanti before regaining it as Barry scored 2 more in a 4-0 domination of Loubha, then wasted a host of chances as Barry scored the only goal at home to still winless Flamme Olympique. But an easier run saw Horoya hit top form, including Kouyaté scoring twice in a 4-1 win at Wakriya. And at the halfway point of the season – just 13 games – still unbeaten Horoya held a 1-point lead over Kamsar.

Chasing the Guinean Title

Horoya had two months off before the second half of the season began, during which the board agreed to send Mahtal on his latest coaching course, which will see him gain the Continental C License. Apparently, there was no cup competition in Guinea, so Mahtal’s sole focus was on continuing their league charge.

2029 began with a trip to Milo FC, and striker Mamadou Guirassy snapped an 11-hour goal drought to score the only goal of the game. Barry then scored the only goal at home to Kaloum before Baldé and Kouyaté earned a comfortable 2-0 at Sangarédi, a drab 0-0 at home to 2nd-place Kamsar and Baldé scored the only goal at Hafia. So, having played all their big five rivals again, Horoya remained unbeaten with a 5-point lead at the top of Ligue 1.

Baldé bagged a brace in a 4-0 hammering of Satellite and the rapidly improving Matakule’s first goal for the club helped them edge a 2-1 win at Renaissance, which moved them 6 points clear with 6 to play. They somehow failed to score any of their 15 shots in a 0-0 at home to Ashanti, but Hafia also only drew 1-1 at home to Satellite. So with 5 games remaining, Horoya stayed 6 points clear of CI Kamsar and Hafia.

Game 22 – Loubha (9th, away): The title race began with D Camara making his long-awaited return from injury, and he ran the midfield as Baldé, Kouyaté and Barry goals earned a 3-0 victory. Hafia won 4-1 at Renaissance but Kamsar drew at Ashanti, so the gap remained 6 points.

Game 23 – RCC Kamsar (11th, home): A 3-week international break followed, so Mahtal gave the first team 2 weeks off. They returned in time for another frustrating home performance, but this time did manage to score through Barry’s 72nd-minute header. Hafia also won 1-0 at home to stay 6 points behind with 3 to play.

Game 24 – Flamme Olympique (13th, away): Horoya could claim the title in this away day, and did their bit as, despite again wasting a mass of chances, another Baldé strike earned a nervy 1-0 win. But Hafia also won 3-0 at Loubha to take it down to a matter of goal difference.

Game 25 – Wakriya (6th, home): Just 1 point from the final 2 games would confirm Horoya as champions as they chased an unbeaten campaign. The board wisely picked the final home game as a fan day and a crowd of 486 saw plenty to enjoy in the early stages, before Kouyaté eventually headed the hosts in front after 27 minutes. However, they of course managed to concede Wakriya’s only shot 6 minutes later. Mahtal laid into the team and got his reward as Baldé tapped in 3 minutes after the break, which proved enough for a pretty tame 2-1 victory.

Horoya won the Guinean Ligue 1 title for the 22nd time!

Another 3-week break preceded the final day of the season, and the attackers looked rusty as they relied on Nsingani’s early header for another 1-0 win. That wrapped up an invincible campaign for Horoya, who finished the season with 20 wins and 6 draws, scoring 43 and ridiculously only conceding 6 goals in 26 games. Barry was the top scorer with 17 in 25 followed by Baldé’s 14 in 25 and left wingback M’Bemba Camara led the assists with 9, while Camara led the way with a ludicrous 18 clean sheets in 24 games.

Mahtal Secures 3 Titles in 4 Seasons!

Mahtal was truly establishing himself as a King of African football, having wrapped up 3 titles in 4 seasons in Zambia, Ivory Coast and now Guinea. This latest success was the easiest yet, with Horoya being heads and shoulders above the rest of the Guinean league. Barry and Baldé were the stars of the campaign with a combined 31 goals, with the latter very much one to keep an eye on in the next few years, but credit has to go to goalkeeper Camara for being effectively unbeatable this season.

This early period of domination across three nations had certainly been enjoyable and surprisingly straightforward. But Mahtal was pretty taken aback by just how easyily he’d managed to walk into jobs at title favourites and how easy the Guinean title had been to win. So he was certainly keen to take on a bit more of a challenge in his next role.

Now armed with his Continental C license, which he achieved in May, Mahtal was back on the hunt for his fourth job in management. But where would he end up? Join us on Friday to find out!