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Takudzwa Chitsiga-Sports Reporter
YADAH Stars have settled for unheralded Expense Chitukutuku to take over as their new coach for the 2023 Castle Lager Premiership football campaign.
Chitukutuku replaces Genesis Mangombe, who was in charge of the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance side last season, and is expected to bring in his experience of working with junior players to turn around the fortunes of Yadah Stars.
Mangombe has since joined Harare giants Dynamos where he is assistant to Herbert “Jompano” Maruwa.
Yadah have been having their pre-season training sessions at Yadah hotel in Waterfalls and have managed to partake several friendly matches.
Chitukutuku will bring with him some experience after he started off as a juniors’ coach for several teams like the now-defunct former Premiership side Black Aces, Dynamos and Motor Action.
Yadah, through their chief executive, Admire Mango, said they have brought on board Chitukutuku after some serious considerations.
At Yadah, Mangombe had taken over from Thomas Ruzive, who retraced his way back to army side Black Rhinos during mid-season last year. The former has since joined Dynamos where he will be one of the assistant coaches to ex-Black Rhinos coach Maruwa who replaced Tonderai Ndiraya at the end of the 2021/2022 Premiership season.
Under the guidance of Mangombe, Yadah finished the 2021/2022 season on position 14 with 37 points and with a worrying goal difference of minus seven in an 18-team championship race that saw WhaWha, Tenax, Bulawayo City and Harare City being relegated.
Yadah concluded the campaign two points ahead of Harare City after managing to post seven wins, 13 draws and the same number of losses. Chitukutuku has a rich history after he helped Black Aces win the BP Cup in 1992 as the head coach.
Before he took over as head coach at Black Aces, Chitukutuku had worked as an assistant coach at Aces when they gained promotion into the top-flight.
From 2003 to 2007 he worked as an assistant coach at Motor Action before he was appointed Provincial head coach for the Harare Under-20 select.
Chitukutuku also coached at Aces Youth Soccer Academy where he worked for over 22 years, grooming several players who went on to make a mark both locally and abroad.
At AYSA, Chitukutuku has toured countries like Switzerland in 2005 and South Africa where they played in the Metropolitan Cup.
Many coaches were linked with a move to Yadah Stars with names like Gathly Chipuka featuring prominently.
Online Reporter