LAST season’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League runners-up ZPC Kariba have restructured their technical team headed by Saul Chaminuka as the Electricity Men start to rebuild a new-look squad after it was decimated by the departure of key players.
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
Key players who left include Castle Lager Footballer of the Year finalist veteran forward Limited Chikafa, who has returned to Bulawayo to join How Mine. Chikafa burst into the limelight at former Premiership side Railstars.
Chaminuka revealed yesterday they had restructured their technical team with former Kiglon and Hardbody goalkeepers’ coach Ndawana Dube joining them from Northern Region Division One side Mushowani.
Dube replaces Tembo Chuma, who quit the club to join ambitious Triangle headed by former Highlanders coach Kelvin Kaindu. Former Lengthens coach Paul “Popo” Chimalizeni, who was at Northern Region Division One side Mushowani Stars with Dube, has also found a new home at ZPC Kariba as team manager — replacing Partson Ndabambi, whose contract was not renewed.
Chaminuka said they would also be bringing in a fitness trainer in due course and expressed optimism that they would rise from the ashes like the proverbial phoenix.
“It’s normal in our game that when you play well you attract a lot of attention and as a result you are bound to lose some of your playing personnel and even members of the technical team. But we are starting to rebuild another squad again that will compete.
“We might not be able to do like what we did last season, but the ambition is there. We have some players that we are targeting, but I cannot reveal them now because negotiations are still going on. So far we have new members of the technical team that have just joined us.
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“We now have Ndawana Dube who has joined us as goalkeepers’ coach from Mushowani as a replacement for Tembo Chuma. We also have Paul Chimalizeni who comes in as the team manager — a replacement for Partson Ndabambi,” said Chaminuka.
Besides losing Chikafa to How Mine, they will also be without Peter Muzondo and Ephraim Mwinga, who have joined Triangle, while goalkeeper Tonderayi Mateyaunga and defender Obey Mwerahari are now on the books of champions Dynamos and with reigning Soccer Star of the Year Dennis Dauda attracting a lot of interest from overseas, it could be a matter of time before he seals a move to a foreign club.
Dauda has just returned from Azerbaijan where he failed to land a lucrative deal after his technical skills were called into question.
However, Zesa spokesman Shepherd Mandizvidza, in an emailed response to inquiries from NewsDay Sport, yesterday said they were yet to finalise their technical team. He also shed light on the status of Dauda.
“The contracts review committee is putting final touches in regularising agreements of players and the technical team of ZPC Kariba Football Club. Once the relevant formalities have been finalised, all the relevant stakeholders would be advised accordingly and you will appreciate that only a holistic approach to the disclosure of the comprehensive football circuit would dispel uncertainties at every level of the team.
“Dennis Dauda has a running contract with ZPC Kariba until end of the season and is still in our plans. The club believes in player’s career development and there is no bad blood between him and ZPC Kariba for having showcased his talent elsewhere. We remain bound by the spirit of unity as we approach the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season and morale is high in the camp,” he said in his statement.
