SHABANIE MINE Football Club are in turmoil as the team’s leadership is reportedly bickering over the appointment of head coach at the club, a development that has stalled the team’s preparations for the forthcoming Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season. REPORT BY EPHRAIM SHOKO SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
The Chinda Boys were left without a coach after Luke Masomere was banned by ZIFA following his involvement in the Asiagate saga, but has since appealed. Shabanie Mine started their pre-season training this week with Arnold Jani, who was assistant to Masomere last season, taking charge of the team’s training assisted by Elvis Muuya.
However sources at the club yesterday told NewsDay Sport that some of the club’s executive members are against the idea of Jani taking over and want former FC Platinum U19 coach John Phiri, assisted by Max Ruza, to take over.
The sources said club president Greg Mataka is leading the camp that is pushing for Phiri and Ruza to take over on a full time basis, while other executive members led by chairman Fidelis Chimedza feel Jani and Muuya deserve the job as they have done a lot for the club in the past.
“There is discord in the executive over who should be appointed coach at the club. Some members of the executive led by Mataka are strongly against Jani taking over until Masomere’s issue is sorted out, and want John Phiri to take over being assisted by Max Ruza.
“However the other camp in the executive feel that Jani and Muuya have done a lot for the club in the past and deserve to remain within the club’s technical structures,”said the source. Mataka yesterday refuted the claims that the executive is at loggerheads, saying the club is still waiting for the determination of Masomere’s issue before making any decisions with regards to the coaching job at the club.
In a rather subtle acknowledgement of the alleged rift, Mataka opined that the differing sentiments on the appointment of coach were views of individual committee members that have not been formally tabled as no executive meeting had been held to discuss the issue.
“I am on record as saying that we are still waiting for the determination of Masomere’s appeal after which we will be in a position to make a meaningful decision. Those views are individual views by individual committee members because we have not held an executive meeting to discuss the matter yet,” he said
