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Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
HAVE Harare giants CAPS United finally made the breakthrough in their search for a new coach to lead the side in the coming season?
Makepekepe’s long and difficult hunt for the technical personnel appear to have yielded results with the club’s chief executive officer Joe Makuvire announcing that the side will unveil their new technical team today.
The Green Machine, who are severely hamstrung by financial problems, which have also cost them a number of senior players, have been racing against time to secure a stable technical team before the start of the pre-season.
Several names like Jostein Mathuthu, former coaches Lloyd Chitembwe, Alois Bunjira and Gishon Ntini have been linked with the job.
Even former Dynamos coach Callisto Pasuwa’s name had been dragged into the hat by the CAPS United rumour mill.
The Makepekepe technical bench fell vacant at the end of last season when Taurai Mangwiro and his assistant Mike Madzivanyika left for new pastures at Harare City.
Goalkeepers’ coach Richard Tswatswa also resigned while team manager Luis Maio, who had a commendable stint as team manager under extremely difficult circumstances last year, has since been reassigned to another role in the business development and commercial unit.
Makuvire yesterday told The Herald that they deliberately took their time in their recruitment of the technical team and believes they have finally found the right people for the job.
The new coach will come with a new set of supporting staff.
“We couldn’t rush to announce the technical team because we had not finalised with our target personnel. I believe management is about doing things the correct way and not just rushing to feed curiosity of the multitudes.
“But now I can confirm we have made headway and we will be making an announcement on our technical teams from the juniors to the senior side tomorrow (today),” said Makuvire.
CAPS United were coached by Mangwiro in the last two seasons but the former Monomotapa and Masvingo United coach decided to throw in the towel after leading the side to top five finishes in the last two seasons.
However, Mangwiro’s tenure was littered with problems stemming from the club’s weak financial position. The side also face an exodus of senior players as they “cannot afford” to tie them down to new contracts.
Makuvire confirmed seven players, among them goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube, captain Tapiwa Khumbuyani, Charles Mukanhairi, may not be retained following the expiry of their contracts on December 31.
Striker Kelvin Bulaji has found a new home at Dynamos while Tendai Samanja followed Mangwiro at Harare City. Dominic Chungwa still has a year on his contract but the forward wants out and has since agreed terms with Dynamos. Makuvire said they will not stand in the way of players who want out but was worried with the way the player handled his intended move to Dynamos.
“It’s unfortunate that people don’t follow proper football channels. That case borders on the dubious, you cannot just wake up to hear that a player with a running contract has signed for another team.
“Chungwa can only go to Dynamos if they approach us first, we give them a quotation and we discuss. Our players are our assets and we would use all the means possible to retain them. My job as the CEO is to safeguard the assets of our club and I haven’t consented to his move,” said Makuvire.
Most of the CAPS United players were disgruntled with their employer as they allege that they are owed several thousands in sign-on fees and outstanding salaries and bonuses.
Left-back Ronald Pfumbidzai has also been pushing for a clearance to enable him to look for another team.
Nine players have taken the club to Labour Court through the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe.
Makuvire however, said Makepekepe are focusing on the positives as they seek to assemble a competitive side this season.
He said Makepekepe have signed 13 new players and are looking to complement the squad by holding countrywide trials that started yesterday in Mutare.
Former team manager Josephat Rwafa and juniors coach Ray Mundembe have been tasked to spearhead the recruitment exercise. Rwafa bounced back at the club as chief scout while Mundembe is the head of the academy, which will cater for age-groups from Under-16 to Under-23s.
“We have signed about 13 players who are Premiership material. The aim is to broaden our player base. We would want to have as many players as possible.
“Some of them you will see them playing for CAPS United and we may decide to loan out some while others should be in the academy. Of course we are struggling with money but we cannot be poor financially and at the same time become poor in terms of personnel.
“We also want to revive our junior policy. So we are going out there to recruit quality during the countrywide trials. We are looking at players with no previous exposure at the top level. Whoever is identified will be invited for a special training camp.
“Our elite development side should be modelled along the lines of the one we had before the 20014-05 season, which should be able to step in to the senior ranks at any given time.
“It is our hope that in the future we shouldn’t be going out to buy players. We want to create our own reserves and to be able to sell players locally and abroad. At least that should guarantee us financial stability,” said Makuvire.
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