Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
STUNG by their slow start to the 2025 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season, giants CAPS United have revealed plans to beef up their technical team in a bid to breathe life into their faltering campaign.
Club president Farai Jere yesterday said they were trying to convince an as yet unnamed former player to join the Green Machine bench in the next two weeks as an assistant to Lloyd Chitembwe.
The former Cup Kings need a quick solution to their woeful start to the term in which they have already lost three games on the trot and four in total in their opening six matches of the campaign.
Jere yesterday visited the team at their training ground, for the second time in as many weeks, where he reminded his charges to up their game ahead of the home match against Bikita Minerals this weekend.
“We had another meeting with the technical team and we agreed that we need to beef up our technical team. After the departure of (the late Nelson) Matongorere and also Fungai Kwashi we were caught napping. There are a lot of things we didn’t do to beef up the technical team.
“Football has become scientific, and the big teams, world over have a technical staff of up to 20 people, each and every one of them focusing on their area of specialty. So, we are going to add, not subtract,” said Jere.
“We have got an assistant coach who is coming. Yesterday we had an interview with him; he is not a local coach but is our son who has done very well wherever he is. I don’t want to give details.
“In the next two weeks, the boy will be coming, and I can tell you the fans will be happy because he did very well for the club during his time. He also won the championship, and he upgraded himself.
“He is now a CAF A qualified coach and has won a championship as a head coach but he is not in Zimbabwe.”
Already CAPS United have Tonderai Marume and Farai Tawachera as assistant coaches.
The Green Machine have also resorted to grooming personnel with the club’s DNA to staff their workforce.
“We need CAPS United products and sons to come through the ranks and contribute to the team’s success. We’ve got the likes of David Sengu, who is going to (a coaching) school. He’s going back to Botswana in two weeks.
“We also have Rodwell Chinyengetere. We need a bigger pool of our sons because we want them to enjoy and contribute to this institution.
“We want them to enjoy from the team which they made, which they played for. So, that’s what we’re encouraging. We are pushing them.”
Jere also urged the club’s supporters to be a little bit more patient with the team.
This comes as a group of disgruntled fans protested when they last lost to Ngezi Platinum Stars at home two weeks ago, with some calling for an immediate technical team reshuffle.
But Jere yesterday told journalists that the club’s management has decided to retain 2016 championship winning coach, Chitembwe.
“He is not going anywhere. His achievements are there, so we need that experience. We once took that route (of firing and hiring coaches) and we know the result was a disaster. We have appointed most of the big-name coaches in the Premier Soccer League and it didn’t work.”
CAPS United slumped to 17th place following the defeat to Highlanders last Sunday.
Just like last week, Jere spent over half an hour with the players, before engaging in a lengthy meeting with the technical team.
