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Chitembwe defends Harare City move

Sport
Former Caps United coach Lloyd Chitembwe says he has no regrets about leaving the Harare giants, then leading the race for the league title to join relegation-threatened Harare City in August.

BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE

Former Caps United coach Lloyd Chitembwe says he has no regrets about leaving the Harare giants, then leading the race for the league title to join relegation-threatened Harare City in August.

Chitembwe rescued Harare City from the jaws of relegation on the league’s final day of the season last Saturday, following a goalless draw with Ngezi Platinum.

Caps lost out on the league title to defending champions FC Platinum on the same day after losing a title decider.

The 48-year-old coach reckons that fighting relegation with the Sunshine City Boys had, in fact, made him stronger.

“Like I have always said I don’t have any regrets moving to Harare City. In any case, I think I have become better and stronger as a person,” Chitembwe said “Football is all about taking challenges and I am happy with this challenge. I took it and I achieved what I was supposed to achieve and it gives one a great feeling.

“But it was never going to be possible without the help of a great team at Harare City. The executive is so passionate about football, you look at the supporters, they are very few, but what they represent is massive and the players were just fantastic. It was not down to me alone, but all the organs within the system,” he said.

After struggling for consistency when he joined Harare City, Chitembwe did enough to help the team stay afloat, but has predicted a massive upturn in performance from his side next season.

It is not clear whether Chitembwe is going buy big or stick to the team which looked formidable on paper, but struggled on the field.

“We will certainly have a massive change in terms of performance next year. As for personnel, it’s not for me to talk about at the moment. I just want the boys to celebrate this moment (surviving relegation),” Chitembwe said.

The Harare City Council has , however, said they will withdraw funding for the team next year.

Chitembwe refused to comment on his former side Caps United’s failure to capture the league title after he left them as favourites to land the big one.

“Unfortunately, I cannot comment about what happened there. I am a coach at Harare City, so I can only comment about the team I coach. Caps have a very good coach in Darlington Dodo,” Chitembwe said.