Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
PHINEAS BAMUSI turned down overtures by several top-flight teams, who wanted him to make a retirement U-turn and join them as soon as they learnt that the long-serving CAPS United captain was bringing the curtain down on his playing career.
The 36-year-old himself still feels his legs can carry him in professional circles for at least two more years, but he opted to hang up his boots at the recommendation of the Green Machine’s hierarchy who are looking at grooming him into a coach.
Until last month, Bamusi was still the Makepekepe captain, although game-time under coach Takesure Chiragwi had been hard to come by.
It didn’t come as a huge surprise when his name was listed amongst the five players that the Harare giants were de-registering to create space for mid-season acquisitions.
A number of clubs reportedly flooded his mobile through calls and SMS’s in equal measure to try and lure the winger.
Bamusi said he was tempted to sign for one of them who had tabled a lucrative two-year offer, but decided to stick to his guns after he had agreed on a transformative deal in which he would be roped into the technical set up as a third assistant under Chiragwi.
After weeks of speculation, Bamusi finally announced, with the endorsement of the club, that he was walking off the playing field after over 270 appearances for CAPS United.
He admitted that his heart was split between opting to play on elsewhere and remaining at the Green Machine, to which he opted to settle for the latter.
“After weeks, if not months of reflection and careful consideration, I am happy to say I have done my part in terms of playing for CAPS United,” Bamusi said.
“It’s a decision that I arrived at after sitting down with my family and CAPS United.
“The club offered me a job as the third assistant after Ian Bakala and Joseph Kamwendo.
“The conditions are very good, and I decided to take the opportunity to learn from coach Chiragwi and the others in the set-up.”
Zimpapers Sports Hub also understands that CAPS United offered to pay for all the training required for Bamusi to earn his coaching badges, starting with the CAF D License, which he recently acquired.
“On reflection, I don’t have any regrets.
“I wanted to play on, but I also understand that you have to leave the stage when you still can dance.
“Venturing into coaching is something that I have always wanted, and I think it’s the ideal time to start practicing.
“The good thing is that I am now part of a coaching staff that has been coaching me for the past six, seven months.
“I can easily help out and get to learn from them because they are the same people who were recently instructing me.
“I believe the vast knowledge I got from being coached by several coaches when I was still a player will come in handy as I begin to learn the ropes.”
Bamusi has played in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League for the past 15 years, having made his top-flight debut with the now defunct Gunners in 2011 before joining his hometown team Buffaloes, the year after.
But his breakthrough season arrived in 2013 when he teamed up with players like William Manondo, James Jam, and Silas Songani to drive then debutants Harare City under Bigboy Mawiwi to near glory in the league, only to falter on the last day of the season. Bamusi would, two years later, join the very club, CAPS United, that had stood in his way, denying him and his teammates triumph during that forgettable afternoon at the National Sports Stadium.
