adminTakudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
TAKURA Shariwa has replaced Elisha Mukusa at Eastern Region Division One side Eastern Stars after the coach’s fallout with management.
Eastern Stars director Jonathan Samkange confirmed the appointment of the former Hippo Valley coach, just a day after Mukusa tendered his resignation letter.
“We have appointed Shariwa as our new coach but he will go on probation before we take him on a full-time basis.
“We hope that our team will do well with Shariwa, who has a good history.
“Mukusa, who joined the side after they were promoted from Division Two last season, will not be in charge team when we travel to Gutu this weekend as he has tendered his resignation letter on Wednesday,” Samkange said.
Samkange said they were not happy with last week’s team performance and the players were being used in wrong positions and their regular strikers were benched.
“We brought Mukusa on board when we realised that the coaches who had excelled in Division Two were not qualified for Division One, we used to score a lot of goals but that was quickly vanishing, which is not good for the project.
“The team managed to settle for a 0-0 draw with a bottom-placed team in last week’s encounter, which did not make us happy.
“We expected to improve, in terms of our performance, but we were going down with each passing week,” Samkange said.
Eastern Stars are in second place on the table,
Mukusa also gave his side of the story.
“There are several factors that pushed me out of the team and it is sad that I left when we were doing well.
“The game against Black Eagles was my last game and I am moving on.
“There was a lot of interference from the administrators and I was forced to train two times a week with 18 players which was not good for the players competitiveness.
“The good thing is I laid down some of the grievances, which need to be addressed if the team is to prosper, because player welfare is important.
“Some players have not received their signing-on fees up to now and you expect a coach to motivate them to do well.
“Things like bus fare were proving difficult to get for the players who trained as 18 men and they had no competition as they will be guaranteed of a place in the team.
“I am still to learn as a coach and I cannot let my image get tarnished because I drew a game,” Mukusa said.
Central Region Fixtures
Mutare City v Buffalo Junior (Sakubva); Ruwa United v ZRP Masvingo (Rudhaka); Mwenezana v Chivhu Stars (Mwenezi); Masvingo United v Surrey (Mucheke); FC Three Leaves v Gaza Gunners (Durama); Renco Mine v Tenax (Maramba); Gutu v Eastern Stars (Paradise); Black Eagles v Mutare Polly
Technosphere v Black Boots (Hwange); Plumtree Chiefs v Tsholotsho (White City); Elephant v Ntabazinduna (Brad Barracks); Mpumalanga v New West (Hwange); Trumus v Hwange U’20 (Vic Falls); P/Cement v ZPC Hwange (Postponed); Quelaton v Old Nic Mine (Postponed)
Central Region Fixtures
Tomorrow
Silo United v Hwahwa (Mbizo); ZRP Beitbridge v Tongogara (Dulibadzimu)
Sunday
FC Platinum v Chrome Stars (Mandava); Nkayi United v Gweru City (Nkayi); Chemumvuri Pirates v MSU (Amaveni); Blanket Mine v Zvishavane Stars (Blanket); Gaths Mine v Vumbachikwe (Gaths).
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