dyton mupawaenda
Tadious Manyepo-Sports Reporter
YADAH Stars man-of-the-moment Emmanuel Chitauro says he is shocked with his growing status in the Premiership.
On-loan from Central Region first division side Chapungu, the right-back has captured the imagination of many with his modern-day playing style that has yielded four assists this term.
Just given a chance to play after regular full-back Linnox Mucheto suffered an injury early in the season, the former Shabanie Mine defender hasn’t looked back with his relentlessness, giving the Thomas Ruzive charges significant life in the right flank.
Chitauro is largely surprised by the fact that he is doing well playing in defence just a few years after Tendai Chikuni transformed him into that role having played as an attacker all his career.
“I should admit that I am shocked with the reviews that I am getting from the fans, my teammates and everyone else including Prophet Magaya.
“I was used to playing as a midfielder before my former coach at Chapungu Tendai Chikuni converted me into a right-back,” said Chitauro.
“My aim is to perform well for my team. We have quality in the team and you know it is always motivating to play alongside big name players like Khama Billiat. He is someone I used to admire a lot when I was still in Guruve, while he was playing for the Warriors and I am also shocked with how humble he is.
“I thank Prophet Magaya for bringing me to Yadah and for his efforts in taking Billiat aboard.”
The 30-year-old workaholic attributes his enduring attitude towards the game to how he came to start in the first place.
Confined in the rural environs of Guruve, Chitauro didn’t get the exposure that he perhaps deserved and he settled for farming, growing the labour-intensive crop of tobacco hitherto with limited resources. Playing football sparingly for a village social team called Super 11, Chitauro would draw the sympathy of a security company that had a football team in Mutorashanga.
“They (Security Company) then employed me as a security guard. Things were not well but they gave me a good platform to showcase myself.
“It was during my time there when Pearson Matare identified me and signed me at Lake Harvest. I would then move to Shabanie before joining Chapungu, a club that enabled me to be attested into the Air Force of Zimbabwe, an organisation that I am proudly part of.”
Chitauro, who says his dream is to be called a Warrior one day, will this afternoon lead the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries side into battle against Highlanders at Heart Stadium this afternoon.
Elsewhere Manica Diamonds have a chance to draw level with log leaders FC Platinum at least for 24 hours if they find a way past Bulawayo Chiefs at Luveve.
They will be playing without their coach Jairos Tapera for the first time this season as the gaffer is with the Warriors in South Africa for the ongoing Cosafa tournament. Besides Tapera, the team will also be without captain Farai Banda and leading scorer Michael Tapera who are part of the national team down south as well. Simba Bhora have a chance to redeem themselves following that late defeat to FC Platinum last week when they host ZPC Kariba at Wadzanai while CAPS United are away to Ngezi Platinum to complete today’s proceedings.
Dynamos will host GreenFuel at Rufaro looking to collect their first set of three points against a team which was in the Premiership last season. They have failed to do so in the opening phase of the marathon with their four wins only coming from newly promoted teams including Chegutu Pirates, Arenel Movers, Telone and Bikita Minerals.
Fixtures
Today: Yadah v Highlanders (Heart), Bulawayo Chiefs v Manica Diamonds (Luveve), Simba Bhora v ZPC Kariba (Wadzanai), Ngezi Platinum v CAPS United (Baobab)
Tomorrow: Hwange v Bikita Minerals (Colliery), Dynamos v GreenFuel (Rufaro), Telone v FC Platinum (Bata), Chegutu Pirates v Arenel Movers (Baobab), Chicken Inn v Herentals College (Luveve
Online Reporter