ZPC Kariba head coach Sunday Chidzambwa is excited by his return to the local Castle Lager Premier Soccer League after a 16-year absence despite a 1-0 loss to Triangle on Sunday at Gibbo.
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
He believes he still has a lot to offer to improve the standard of the game in the country. His return was, however, spoiled by Triangle courtesy of a Hardlife Mavhundi goal in the 73th minute.
It had been a long road for Chidzambwa, a former Warriors coach, who quit champions Dynamos on September 5, 1999 after the Harare giants were defeated 2-0 by Tunisia’s Esperance in the Caf Champions League in Harare.
Since then, a lot has happened: He has coached the Warriors, served a match-fixing ban and coached in the South Africa Premiership. His last coaching stint was at South African National First Division side Black Leopards — a country where he believes Zimbabwe should not be exporting players to.
“If I was able to fly, I was going to fly because I am glad to be back in the local league. I have a great feeling, it has been a long time and I think I still have a lot to offer to improve the local league. I realised that we have a problem in our league because anybody who plays well is exported to South Africa.
“By doing so I don’t think our league can be strong compared to the old days because we used to have stars that made the league much stronger. Just imagine if players like Cuthbert Malajila, Knowledge Musona, Kingstone Nkhatha and Khama Billiat were still playing in the country, how we could have been compared with other leagues across the continent,” Chidzambwa said.
He acknowledged though that the lure of the rand was too big for local players to ignore.
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“I know there is issue of money at play,” he said.
On the Warriors, Chidzambwa backed Kalisto Pasuwa to qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals after Zimbabwe started the campaign with a 2-1 away win over Malawi, but said Zifa should be more organised in their approach. ZPC Kariba, after their fifth loss of the season, remain in 10th place with 15 points, 17 off leaders Chicken Inn, who are likely to be awarded all three points after Dongo Sawmill were charged with causing the abandonment of their match at Luveve Stadium on Saturday.
The Electricity Men have only won three times this season and drawn six and have changed coaches with Saul Chaminuka, who took the team to second place in their debut season in 2014, being replaced by Obert Matava after just eight matches after a poor start. Matava has made way for Chidzambwa.
“ZPC Kariba did well last year, but I don’t want to dwell much into history, they had a different coach last season and I am a different coach and I believe it is only be fair if I am judged at the end of this season,” Chidzambwa said.
