Chronicle Editor
Lovemore Dube, Sports hub coordinator
COACHING jobs are among the most insecure jobs in the world and no matter how rich your resume is, finding oneself in the streets is not a surprise.
In the 1980s former expatriate Zifa technical director Ben Koufie once said: “Once you have chosen a career path in coaching always have your bag and luggage near the door, carry your passport along and return ticket with you. If you are fired by the team and fans are baying for your blood you may have to head to the airport from the field and the cabman won’t have problems with just picking up your bag and a few belongings.”
Such is the volatility of the trade. Zimbabwe’s top goalkeepers’ trainer Tembo “Chokri” Chuma finds himself jobless despite a sumptuous curriculum vitae enriched further by being a Caf Goalkeepers’ trainer.
He has produced four Goalkeepers of the Year and others that have made national team grade. Chuma was the FC Platinum goalkeepers’ trainer last year. It became clear that his days at the club were numbered when halfway through the season he was relegated to training juniors and the women’s team goalkeepers after a fallout with head coach, Norman Mapeza.
He was, however, later reinstated but when his contract ended, he never heard from the club and has since December been at his rural home, in Binga District or Cowdray Park (Bulawayo) where he has a house.
“My contract with FC Platinum ended in December. I have spent most of my time since last season at home in Binga and I am now back in town staying home as I await the next opportunity. I am keeping my fingers crossed that an opportunity will come my way and I get back to doing what I enjoy most. I am a Caf goalkeepers’ trainer but those opportunities come once in a while to have courses for goalkeepers’ trainers. One has to be practicing in order to stay sharp in the game,” said Chuma.
Chuma said it is always good to be involved with the team during off-season and get involved in the recruitment of players and shaping up with the set of goalkeepers one will work with.
“It is still too early in the season Iam hopeful something will come up and I get to do what I have passion for,” said Chuma.
A holder of Caf and Fifa goalkeepers’ trainer certificates, Chuma also holds a Caf B licence and has previously coached Masvingo United to Independence and Zifa Cup glory and won tournaments with Highlanders as goalkeepers’ trainer. Twice he helped Ariel Sibanda get into the calendar and achieved the same with Wallace Magalane, Munyaradzi Diya and Tendai Hove.
“The trick lies in putting a hard shift in the pre-season and continuing gradually throughout the year in a systematic approach that takes into consideration many factors. We have some good goalkeepers in our country,” said Chuma who idolised Posani Sibanda and Japhet Mparutsa while growing up.
Among his peers in Hwange were goalkeepers like Isaac Tshuma, Antony Nakamba and Zakheyo Zulu.
“I want my goalkeepers to have locals as their role models. We had local big names in Hwange and others at a national level like Posani Sibanda and Japhet Mparutsa,” said Chuma.
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