FOUR Castle Lager Premier Soccer League coaches are hanging on to their positions by the finger tips and this weekend’s round of matches could be a final role of the dice in their bid to save their jobs.
by TERRY MADYAUTA/KEVIN MAPASURE
For Biggie Zuze , who has only been at the helm of the Dynamos technical team for three matches which produced one win, a defeat — a draw and another defeat to Herentals tomorrow will spell the end of a short but event-filled spell.
Shabanie Mine’s Takesure Chiragwi is on the brink as is Joseph Takaringofa at bottom-placed Mutare City Rovers while ZPC Kariba’s Godfrey Tamirepi is a prime candidate for a coaching casualty.
There is a strong possibility that by the time the league reaches the halfway stage, at least seven coaches would have lost their jobs following the firing of Lloyd Mutasa by Dynamos, Darlington Dodo at Bulawayo City and Tendai Chikuni at Chapungu.
Interestingly two of those coaches are being lined up for new jobs as clubs adopt a ruthless approach in a bid to reach their desired goals. Zuze edged closer to the brink on Wednesday when he oversaw his team’s dispiriting draw against Black Rhinos, which came hard on the heels of a 2-0 home defeat to FC Platinum.
Judging from his post-match comments, Zuze is aware of knives being sharpened to cut him loose and has resigned to that fate.
He can earn himself some wriggle room with a win over Herentals tomorrow.
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“Most people will judge me based on such games, but from where we are coming from, it’s a very good point (against Black Rhinos) for us,” he said. The executive will judge me and if they think I am not a good enough, then there is nothing I can do. The project has to go on.”
Zuze’s tone has shifted from the fighting talk that came from him soon after he was appointed interim coach, where he vowed to prove himself a worthy mentor targeting to win all the remaining matches of the season.
From a coach who had pledged a good run, he is now sees a draw against Black Rhinos as a good result.
While Zuze’s could soon be jobless, his former boss, Mutasa is one of the coaches that ZPC Kariba are considering as a replacement for Tamirepi, who is under fire despite a mini revival that saw them go for eight matches without defeat which was snapped by Caps United with a 3-0 crushing.
ZPC Kariba managed to lift themselves from the bottom of the log, but they are not content on fighting relegation alone and have bigger ambitions.
They failed in their bid to prize Lloyd Chitembwe away from Caps United and with Mutasa now in a ceremonial role of technical director, they see this as an opportunity to lure a high profile coach into their ranks.
They sit on position 15 with 12 points in the back which is 23 points shy of the leading team Ngezi Platinum Stars.
Tomorrow ZPC Kariba host Bulawayo City who also occupy one of the relegation places and the consequences of failure to beat a team also fighting for dear life in the topflight are unimaginable for Tamirepi.
Shabanie Mine have had a difficult season so far where they have so far managed just one win with six defeats and as many draws.
This has triggered unease in the Zvishavane-based side and Chikuni, who presided over the team’s promotion into the topflight, has emerged as the favourite to replace the under fire Chiragwi.
Mutare City are also in the running to become the fourth team to fire the coach as wins continue to elude them.
The bottom side only have eight points are four points from safety.
The club management’s patience with Takaringofa is fast running out and they have since drawn up a list of possible replacements for the coach who include among them Saul Chaminuka who is currently based in Swaziland.
Fixtures
Today: Ngezi Platinum v Harare City (Baobab). Tomorrow: Mutare City v Triangle United (Vengere), Dynamos v Herentals (Rufaro), Nichrut v Black Rhinos (Ascot), Chicken Inn v FC Platinum (Luveve), Shabanie Mine v Bulawayo Chiefs (Maglas), Highlanders v Chapungu United (Barbourfields), ZPC Kariba v Bulawayo City (Nyamhunga), Yadah v Caps United (NSS)
