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Langton Nyakwenda recently in KARIBA
WHILE the dwindling water levels in Lake Kariba continue to worry the nation, local people here also have low expectations of their only Premier Soccer League side, ZPC Kariba.
Under normal circumstances, Lake Kariba has the capacity to generate 1 050MW of electricity but the giant watera body can now generate less than 500MW.
Just like the lake, which is about 20km away from Nyamhunga Stadium, ZPC Kariba — who at their peak finished second in their debut season in 2014 — have also been experiencing waning fortunes.
Amazingly, coach Godfrey Tamirepi’s side, which is one of the most financially stable teams in the PSL, has been hit by a massive player exodus and is having to rebuild for a second consecutive season.
Of the 27 players who made up their 2019 squad, only six — Tendai Hove, Samuel Makawa, Simba Gorogodyo, Boyd Mutukure, Brian Juru and Collen Muleya — are still in Kariba.
In fact, the entire defence, including goalkeeper Future Sibanda, has dismantled.
Right-back Ian Nekati whose consistent performances earned him a place on the 2019 Soccer Stars calendar and a call-up to the Warriors, left back Munyaradzi Kunyarimwe and the centre back pairing of Ghanaian Stephen Appiah and James Marufu have all deserted ZPC Kariba.
Exciting winger Tinotenda “Kedha” Chiunye, talented midfielder Nigel Makumbe, King Nasama, Tsepo Rantokoane, Blessing “Gode” Nyamuzihwa and James Gwara are some of the players who parted ways with the Zimbabwe Power Company-sponsored club.
The club also released veteran striker-cum defender Tawanda Nyamandwe, goalkeeper Takabva Mawaya, Dexter Phiri, Daniel Chakupe, Bonface Zuberi and Talent Chamboko.
“There has been a lot of player movement from my team. There are players whom I offloaded, but I had retained the bulk. But, unfortunately and for reasons best known to some of the players, they decided to leave us,” Tamirepi told The Sunday Mail Sport.
“Right now I have acquired almost 18 players and that tells a story. The story is we are on a rebuilding exercise so we can’t talk of honours.
“You can’t talk of winning titles after going through this wholesome change. It would be very unfair for me to stand up and say I want to win the championship,” lamented Tamirepi.
ZPC Kariba have acquired three goalkeepers Tapiwa Chilenga from Triangle, Tafadzwa Munhupedzi (Ngezi Platinum Stars) and Arnold Munkuli (Harare City Cubs).
Defenders Trust Nyabinde from TelOne, Pakington Mazhawi (Filabusi), Tapiwa Matongo (Grain Tigers), Chrispen Ncube (Bulawayo City), Melvin Mekiwa (Black Rhinos) and Kuzivakwashe Madima, who is on loan from Kariba Waves have also joined.
Tamirepi tested his latest acquisitions in a friendly match against Black Rhinos at Chaminuka last Saturday and the former Ziscosteel player seems content with the material he has brought.
“It’s a wholesome change, but we are in the right direction, we will be playing Triangle, they are coming here in Kariba in the coming weeks.
“When we played Black Rhinos we fared well despite the fact that we went down 0-1. The second game we lost 3-2.
“I think we are up there in terms on fitness, looking ahead I think after having been with the guys for the last three weeks, I can see the boys are responding to my philosophy,” said Tamirepi.
As ZPC Kariba brace for their seventh season in the top-flight, their pedigree has been questioned, given that they are a team that enjoys a sound financial backing from parent company Zimbabwe Power Company.
Their inability to retain players has also been worrying as this is the second pre-season in succession in which they have had to rebuild.
For all their potential, they are yet to win any silverware and the best they achieved was a second place when Saul Chaminuka’s class of 2014 lost the championship on the last day, being pipped by Kalisto Pasuwa and his Dynamos.
ZPC Kariba then finished 10th in 2015, sixth in 2016 and 10th in 2017.
They were stagnant at 10th position in 2018 and last season after leading the race in September they stumbled to end on eighth place and this despite losing only once at home.
Amid debate over the reasons behind the high turnover of players, sabotage claims have emerged, with some insiders revealing that there might have been a third force in the team’s surprising slumber towards the end of the season.
The club’s seemingly lack of ambition has also forced players out.
“There are some players who were disgruntled by the club’s seemingly lack of ambition. Some of them even secured moves well before the season ended, so obviously they were not focused,” said a source.
“There are some players who come here expecting to play for a team that can challenge for honours. Once they are here, they discover that the team seems to be content with mid-table positions and they push for a move,” added the source.
ZPC Kariba registered just a single victory in their last seven matches of the 2019 season and succumbed to a 1-2 loss to already relegated Mushowani Stars at Nyamhunga in their last match.
Tamirepi, who at one time was a strong contender for the 2019 Coach of the Year award, however attributes that slump to “a lot of travelling” and injuries.
The former Triangle assistant coach who has also worked in Botswana and Swaziland, has been in charge of 68 matches since taking over from Sunday Chidzambwa on January 4, 2018.
He has registered 24 wins, 22 draws and 22 losses.
Tamirepi has garnered 94 points out of a possible 204, translating to a 46 percent pass rate.
However, Tamirepi has to be applauded for stabilising a ship that had hit a turbulence after the departure of the large than life Chidzambwa.
“People here understand where the team is coming from and where we are going. I found the team on position 10 and now we are back in the top eight.
“Expectations are there, given the stability we enjoy here, but we are not under pressure. But, we are given motivation by other corporate backed teams like FC Platinum, Ngezi Platinum Stars and Chicken Inn.
“ZPC is a well-resourced team, so it is also challenging me to do well like what Chicken Inn, Triangle and FC Platinum have done,” says Tamirepi.
Under Tamirepi, ZPC Kariba have lost only four times in 34 matches at Nyamhunga.
In all, ZPC Kariba have played 87 matches at Nyamhunga and have lost only nine times.
Only FC Platinum (twice), Tsholotsho, Triangle, Harare City, Ngezi Platinum Stars, Bulawayo Chiefs and Mushowani Stars have won at Nyamhunga since May 23, 2015, when the facility was officially opened for PSL matches.
The Big Three — Dynamos, Highlanders and CAPS United — have never won at Nyamhunga.
Some coaches have cited Kariba’s hot weather conditions as the major reason why ZPC Kariba do well at home but even Hwqnge which also has high humidity has seen the colliery outfit losing at home.
Tamirepi feels offended by those attributing their defeats to the weather instead of crediting his side.
“We even won some games away. We are a team that plays as a unit and when we play at home we have a huge support base.
“We work hard for these results. My players know we must not lose at Nyamhunga, at all costs.”
He also had stints in Botswana where he coached Tafic Sporting Club in 2005 before moving to Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) in 2009.
He was at the helm when Central Region side Hardbody were relegated from the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League in 2012, after taking over from Tavaka Gumbo midway through the season.
Tamirepi went to Swaziland where he coached Manzini Sundowns in 2016 before returning home to assist Taurai Mangwiro at Triangle the following year.
His ZPC Kariba at the beginning of the 2018 season.
“Taking over from Chidzambwa was a huge task, he is a big coach in all aspects. He has won quite a number of accolades so expectations were so high.
“But I would say I have never disappointed although I feel I should have done much better,” said Tamirepi who is assisted by Michael Ngore. For ZPC Kariba’s longest serving player, Tendai Hove, who won the 2014 Goalkeeper of the Year award, the fact that they have maintained their Premiership status should be commended.
“The good thing is we have managed to survive relegation six times,” says Hove.
Former Chicken Inn defensive linkman Juru has settled well in Kariba and foresees happy days in 2020.
“Players come and go but that doesn’t mean it is the end of the team,” said Juru.
Muleya, who joined ZPC Kariba from Hwange in 2018, feels fortress Nyamhunga will remain key for his club’s quest for silverware.
“It’s difficult for teams to beat us here. We know our ground and everyone fights hard whenever we are playing here,” said the 28-year-old Hwange bred player.
Online Reporter