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Noel Munzabwa
WE meet to part and part to meet.
“Parting is such a sweet sorrow,” reads William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet but for two Zimbabwean coaches, Julius Chakupewa and Saul Chaminuka parting is such a sour sorrow after their marriages with Manzini Sundowns and Mbabane Highlanders respectively ended in acrimony.
The sun came down on Chakupewa on Friday after failing to secure a written commitment from Zifa to attend the next Caf A Course as demanded by the Eswatini Football Association.
“On behalf of Manzini Sundowns Football Club we regret to inform you of our decision to withdraw your services with immediate effect from the technical department.
“The reason is due to you not complying with the directive from the Eswatini Football Association requesting written confirmation from the Zimbabwe Football Association confirming your attendance in the upcoming Caf A Licence Course,” read the termination letter in our possession.
Chakupewa confirmed the development.
“Yes, I have left Manzini Sundowns and I am now with Tambankulu Callies in the MTN National First Division,” said Chakupewa.
On the other side of the divide, the words “amicably parted” may have been used for Chaminuka’s exit at Mbabane Highlanders but it has all but paved way for a volcanic eruption of the real truth on a tumultuous relationship.
Never a preferred choice for appointment from the onset, work and life in his 23-match tenure in which he literally took Mbabane Highlanders from a shoddy start that opened up with a 1-3 defeat to Mbabane Swallows. That result saw South Africa-born Mlungisi “Professor” Ngubane walk out citing unprofessional interference.
Literally from dust to near glory, Chaminuka took Highlanders from the basement to current third on the log standings and to their first ever cup final in seven years which the team lost to Young Buffaloes 1-4 after shoddy preparations for the SMVAF Ingwenyama Cup final.
Chaminuka only linked up with the team on the fourth day of their so-called five-day pre-final secret camp, something that almost saw the former Zimbabwe Warriors assistant coach throw in the towel.
“Highlanders will wake up one day and know where it is going wrong. Is it the coaches really? All of them? It is not an easy question to answer but one day people will know who was wrong. It’s easy to turn to the coach and his backroom staff when the team loses because he is the one that we see every match day.
“It is not fair at the end of the day to shoulder all the blame especially for a team like Highlanders where control of the team is by people who want to coach behind the scenes.
“I’m leaving the team with pain because I understand what was happening at the club yet I chose to be professional and wanted to see my contract through. I knew this marriage was not genuine because I am not a pretender and I will tell anyone to his face should something go wrong. I’m not going to allow people to destroy football by using me, as the sport is part of my life.
“I do not want to be seen to be castigating my former employers, especially because such things are part and parcel of our job. However, at some point the truth has to be told and I can only speak for myself, not about Highlanders.
“When you treat some players in a different way from the others, you are creating division within the team. Once a team is divided, it is as good as destroyed. I think that is the problem we have in Africa. It destroys both the game and the teams.
“There was no way we could have won the final. I say this with a sad heart, because it hurt me a lot. Over and above this, I still believed it was even possible to win the league. I was determined to do so for the team, but the way things were happening, it was impossible,” he said.
The coach further stated that he believed in the potential of the team, even when the powers-that-be refused to allow him to recruit players. He said he chose to stay despite the difficulties, hoping that things would improve but they never did.
“I wish Highlanders well because I believe they have the potential to achieve big things. Sadly, this is the nature of our job as coaches, and hopefully, I will secure a new job elsewhere soon,” he said.
Chaminuka leaves Highlanders with an overall 68 percent (67 percent from the league) from the 23 matches in which he won 14, drew five and lost four.
Online Reporter