Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
IT has been a hectic week for Harare giants CAPS United after they lost their last two games inside just four days to effectively bow out of the championship race.
The defeats to minnows FC Hunters and TelOne evaporated whatever was still lurking of their slim chances to their first Premier Soccer League title since 2016.
The blow, which left Makepekepe sitting sixth with 39 points, 13 behind Number One Scottland, has particularly been disappointing for a team that spent the opening third of the marathon leading the race.
For coach Takesure Chiragwi, whose charges have been struggling to score in the absence of inspirational strikers Ishmael Wadi and Alleny Mukombedzi, pressure has been eating him up, with fans almost always on his case.
But club president Farai Jere has jumped in to calm everything down, with the veteran administrator taking heed of Chiragwi’s concerns to hire shrinks to talk up the players as the Green Machine prepare to face Highlanders in the Battle of Cities at Rufaro on Sunday.
“Things haven’t been moving in the direction we would all have wanted them to,” said Jere.
“But I don’t blame the technical team led by coach Takesure Chiragwi, whose department has been giving the board comprehensive reports since the start of the season.
“We have problems upfront where the players are failing to convert chances being created by the midfield.
“We have played several games, which we have dominated if you look at statistics.
“But we ended up drawing or even losing most of them.
“The team has also been affected by injuries to key players. The ones who are there look to be lacking confidence in front of goal.
“It is against this background that we have hired psychologists to talk to them.
“We want them to up their mental game because tactically they are up there, thanks to coach Chiragwi.”
Chiragwi, whose contract demands him to finish this season in the top four, saluted the support he is getting from the club.
“I cannot thank the team enough. You know when the players are failing to score, it comes back to the issue of a lack of confidence,” said Chiragwi.
“The psychologists have come and talked to the players, and I am pretty confident we will turn the corner.
“I said last Sunday that I am not sure where we are losing it.
“I am happy the team administration realised where we are lacking. I am sure the players will take it up from here, and we will be able to get a positive result against Bosso.”
Chiragwi said Makepekepe have been working on finishing to improve their conversion rate.
“We have been doing all we can to get the goals,” added Chiragwi.
“We have been working flat out doing finishing drills and shooting.”
CAPS United beat Highlanders 2-1 in the reverse fixture at Barbourfields.
