Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
A FRESH wave of optimism continues to filter through the CAPS United ranks with newly installed vice-captain Eric “Cantona” Manokore packaging it the way the Green Machine faithful would relish ahead of the 2025 season.
It is not a pre-season that has really belonged to them nor their fellow giants Dynamos and Highlanders. Rather, the majority of attention has been apportioned to high spenders such as ultra-ambitious Scottland, Manica Diamonds, TelOne, and champions Simba Bhora.
CAPS United, along with DeMbare and Bosso, have actually been a victim of the minnows’ giant financial muscle, losing two of their best players from last season, Godknows Murwira and Kingsley Mureremba, to Scottland.
They have also parted ways with seasoned forwards Lot Chiwunga and Ralph Kawondera, Innocent Zambezi, Tonderai Mateyaunga, Ashley Reyners, and Blessing Sarupinda. But rather than being sorry for themselves, Makepekepe have been silently solidifying their team, thanks to a significant budget provided by club president Farai Jere.
Jere has approved of what coach Lloyd Chitembwe has assembled, and he is positive the Green Machine can finally win the league title for the first time since 2016.
And Manokore feels that is an attainable target given the pieces forming the CAPS United puzzle and “what the club stands for.
“Firstly, let me acknowledge the president (Jere), who almost always squeezes some minutes off his diary to interact with the team.
“For us, that means a lot, and it tells you what kind of a president he is.
“It’s very easy for players to feel that sense of belonging if you have a president who is always talking to you, giving you the floor to suggest and inquire about pertinent issues,” Manokore said.
“He (Jere) is very confident that we will have a very good season. I think he is very right. As someone who has been at CAPS United for some time, I would like to reassure the fans that we will fight tooth and nail to try and be the best that we can in the upcoming season.
“I believe we have a very good team that can compete for trophies this year. We are very happy with the additions made to the squad.
“The new players are acquainting and blending very well into the team, on and off the field of play.
“The chemistry is super, and you just develop that feeling that we can indeed be highly competitive in the league in 2025.”
Manokore said the mentality and attitude being displayed by the Green Machine at training can be the magic they have been longing for as a team.
“You know, in a team, you need something more than just quality to prevail. You need the right attitude, the right mentality, to scale the heights and surmount those hurdles.
“You need the love and that feeling of being a family. I have witnessed all that in this group of players. It’s so amazing and encouraging,” added Manokore.
“Look, once you feel like you are a member of the family, you tend to be responsible wherever you are for the sake of your family. You tend to fight hard to protect the family, and you tend to be positive for the family.
“I have seen that at CAPS United, and I tell you, attitude can do amazing things for a team, including winning trophies.
“After all, we have a lot of quality in our ranks. I think we have so many good players who are good enough to stand the Premiership heat and shrug opponents by the wayside. The eagerness in the team can do wonders. I think the competition in the league this coming season will be intense given what’s prevailing in the market, but in the end, we know we are CAPS United, and we should protect the brand.”
Manokore will deputise chief striker and skipper William Manondo with defender Hastings Chapusha named the third club captain. Chitembwe believes the new set of leaders will propel the team towards where they should be.
Manondo is one of the most senior members of the club and a veteran of the Premiership, having spent close to a decade at Harare City before crossing to Makepekepe five years ago. He has top-scored for the team in the last three seasons, while Manokore, who joined from Cranborne Bullets at the start of last season, has established himself as a force, especially after being converted by the veteran gaffer from a central midfielder to a right-back.
Chapusha, just like Manondo, arrived from Harare City and has been a phenomenon for the past two seasons and was the best-scoring defender in the league last season after netting four goals.
