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Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
MIDFIELDER Moses Muchenje could revive his romance with CAPS United following a lengthy hiatus from the game due to alcohol abuse.
The 31-year-old is back to training with the Green Machine with indications he could be on his way back to the club he once skippered.
Muchenje went off the game’s radar over the past season and it only emerged last month the former Gunners and Harare City man had been caught up in an alcohol abuse cobweb.
But, crucially, Muchenje chose to be brave to face his demons with the help of Jadel Football Academy after he decided to go for rehabilitation to address the addiction.
The midfielder, who was arguably one of the best in the country at his peak, spent three months between January and March undergoing rehabilitation at one of the renowned psycho-sociological centres, Mubatirapamwe Trust, in Harare. He was only discharged a fortnight ago. Muchenje told The Herald from Mubatirapamwe Trust last month that he had been dragged into the snare due to some life problems he was facing.
“For close to two years, I was a victim of alcohol abuse as a result of too many problems. I was stressed and the stress culminated into depression. The alcohol abuse affected my relationship with so many people, including my family.
“I wasn’t myself. I last played competitive football in 2021 during the Chibuku Super Cup bubble when I was still at Harare City. So many things were happening and I got too stressed,” he said.
“I failed to handle the pressure and eventually I slipped into acute depression. That’s how I started abusing alcohol. I became addicted and for the rest of 2022, I was on the sidelines of the game that I love the most.
“But somehow, something kept telling me that I was supposed to be a footballer and I even trained with Yadah with a view of signing a contract with them last year.
“But again all that came to a nought as I always abused substances.
“Then my brother came up with this idea of rehab to save not only my football career but my life as well.
“This is how I came to Mubatirapamwe Trust Rehabilitation Centre. I am very happy for I have become myself again. I can feel that I have attained the physicality and mental strength good enough to play football again. I have learnt my lessons and I am glad, it’s not too late.” And Muchenje has since been accepted back at Makepekepe where he is training since last week. CAPS United coach Lloyd Chitembwe is an admirer of experience and it won’t be surprising if he considers to sign the reformed midfielder at the giants. Club chief executive officer Charlie Jones confirmed that Muchenje is training with Makepekepe although no talks have started as yet. “Yes, Moses Muchenje is training with us and he is still in his initial practice with the team. So far we haven’t opened any talks. “If there is an interest from the technical team, we will communicate. That’s all I can say for now,” said Jones.
Reports say Muchenje has been doing well at training and it’s not surprising given he was taking intensive football training during his rehab over the past three months.
He has already worked under Chitembwe at both CAPS United and Harare City and his institutional memory is beyond any doubt.
Although Makepekepe have several defensive midfielders in their books, they appear to be lacking creativity going forward, a gap which Muchenje, if he re-joins, can plug with eloquence. Makepekepe are sitting in second place with seven points, the same as leaders Dynamos, who have a superior goal difference after three match-days.
Online Reporter