herald

PREMIERSHIP debutants Kwekwe United have appointed veteran coach Saul Chaminuka as the new head coach, following the departure of Prince Matore.

Matore, who led the team to topflight football, parted ways with the club and joined Sheasham in the Zifa Central Region Division One league last week.

Kwekwe United’s secretary-general, Francis Tavagadza, confirmed that Chaminuka had been brought in to take over the coaching duties.

“We mutually agreed to part ways with Matore. We have now engaged Chaminuka in whom we have full confidence, to help us achieve our goals. Our primary aim is to survive relegation in our maiden season in the top-flight league. If we manage that, we will target a top 10 finish in our second year. Preparations have begun, and we are confident of doing well in our debut season,” said Tavagadza.

Tavagadza also confirmed that the club is likely to use either Bata Stadium or Ascot Stadium in Gweru for their home games in the early stages of the season.

“The good news is that work is being done at both Torwood and Chahwanda. While we will play our initial games outside of Kwekwe, we are hopeful that one of these two stadiums will meet the required standards soon,” said Tavagadza.

Chaminuka has previously been appointed as Black Rhinos head coach in May 2023, after Stanford “Stix” Mutizwa was re-assigned to the position of technical advisor following a 4-0 defeat to Manica Diamonds at Gibbo Stadium.

Chaminuka’s coaching experience includes stints with various teams, including FC Victoria in 2010, Masvingo United in 2011, Buffaloes in 2013, and ZPC Kariba from 2014 to 2015.

He also had another spell with Buffaloes in 2015, followed by a coaching role with Border Strikers in 2016.

Chaminuka further expanded his career internationally with clubs like Matsapha United and Mbabane Highlanders in Eswatini, and he also had a brief period at Tafic SC in Botswana in 2019.

Chaminuka served as an assistant coach to Callisto Pasuwa with the Zimbabwe national team from 2015 to 2017, working alongside Mkhuphali Masuku and goalkeepers’ trainer Richard Tswatswa.

Meanwhile, Kwekwe United, formed 10 years after the relegation of Lancashire Steel the last team from the city to play in the top flight, will bring topflight football back to the city.

Kwekwe is considered one of the country’s football talent hubs, having produced notable players such as the late Dream Team star Paul Gundani, Bennedict Moyo, James Takavada, Ephraim Dzimbiri, Washington Arubi, Njabulo Zulu, Bernard Zikhali, Frankson Nyembere, Jonathan Boriwondo, Richard Manda, Luke Petros-Jukulile, Norman Komani, Petros Sibanda, Malvern Nyakabangwe, Stephen Alimenda, Tafadzwa Dube and Justice Majabvi, among many others.
-@innocentskizoe