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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
OVER the past weeks, CAPS United coach Lloyd Chitembwe has been participating in the team’s training sessions more like one of the players.
He still has the posture and technique he used to possess when he was still the team’s anchor man, winning three league titles in 1996, 2004 and 2005, among several other accolades.
His being part of the participants at training while dishing out instructions, challenging his charges to do what he perfectly does seem to have inspired the players whose sudden change of mind-set has blown away even the gaffer himself.
Makepekepe have struggled this term, at one point going for a run of seven games without picking any points and most people thought Chitembwe would just throw in the towel.
But, the former Warriors midfielder isn’t a quitter. While he knows the club is still in a precarious position and desperate to add even more players to a roster that hardly features 18 players on match-days, Chitembwe has stayed calm, pep-talked the players and their attitude is beginning to show.
The Green Machine have picked five points in their last three games and the mentor has been picking some positives in the process which he believes will work in Makepekepe’s favour in their match-day 22 against the team whose name everyone associated with CAPS United do not want to hear – Manica Diamonds.
The match is scheduled for the National Sports Stadium this Sunday.
The Manicaland side took full advantage of the low morale the CAPS United players were in back in February to inflict a 6-2 defeat on them in the reverse fixture at Sakubva, the biggest defeat Makepekepe have suffered in the history of the modern Premiership.
But Chitembwe is happy with the attitude his charges have been displaying and he is optimistic the spirit will take them over the line.
“I am very impressed with the spirit that my players have shown not only in matches but in match build-ups and in training as well.
“It’s a different spirit altogether from what we have been experiencing in the last couple of months.
“We are trying to build on that and from there. The good thing is that we are fully aware of our capacity, we know what we are capable of doing and we know what we are capable of achieving,” said Chitembwe.
“It’s unfortunate that things didn’t go according to plan from the onset but we still have everything to play and fight for.
“We have been preparing well for the match against Manica Diamonds. It is yet another important task which is very difficult but I think it’s doable.
“Being CAPS United, I believe we should go out there and win matches. This is what this football club stands for and we can’t wait to play our bit on Sunday.”
Makepekepe could be buoyed by the likely availability of returning midfielder Blessing Sarupinda for this tie.
Sarupinda has since been signed by the Harare giants but he was by yesterday still to get his international transfer clearance though there is a high probability he will secure the papers by today.
“We are looking forward to Blessing Sarupinda’s participation on Sunday (on condition that all the paperwork is completed), we need to have him and he has shown that he is a very good player.
‘’We have always believed his capacity as a player and his desire to help the team at this moment.”
Former Warriors midfielder Tafadzwa Kutinyu is also on the verge of signing a deal with the team as Chitembwe bids to finish the marathon on stronger terms.
Already, Ali Sadiki, who missed yesterday’s training session because of ill health, has been training with the club over the past couple of weeks together with former Dynamos player Tichaona Chipunza.
“We are looking at him (Tafadzwa Kutinyu). The good thing is that he agreed to come here and train with the rest of the group,” Chitembwe said.
“He is a big player by Zimbabwean standards and for him to be here training, being assessed by coaches, I think it shows that the boy has a good level of humility.”
Online Reporter