Online Reporter
Sharuko on Saturday
I HAVE always been a big fan of Kelvin Kaindu — maybe it’s his humility, his religious beliefs or his allergy to controversy which have drawn me to him.
I’m not really sure.
The Zambian has been a part of our football furniture for decades now, first emerging as a player at Highlanders and then transforming himself as a coach at the same club.
His love affair with Bosso runs deep.
That is why he returned, for a second time, when they came calling for his services despite the acrimony which marked their ugly separation the first time they fell in love.
In my little book, KK, as I call him, has been the best coach Bosso have had since Methembe Ndlovu led them to their last league championship in 2006.
That he didn’t deliver a league championship, during the two spells he was in charge, is something that is hard to understand.
Especially when one looks at the two seasons, when he came closest to winning the championship, in 2012 and 2013, when his men fought titanic battles with Dynamos and, somehow, ended as the bridesmaids on both occasions. In those two seasons, KK’s Bosso ended with the same number of points as Dynamos (69 in 2012 and 54 in 2013) but on both occasions lost the championship race because of an inferior goal difference.
Bosso lost just ONE game all season in 2012, a 0-3 loss at Rufaro to Monomotapa, and conceded the least number of goals, 15, but still ended in second place despite matching the champions in terms of overall points won.
They shared points with Dynamos in their two league matches, which both ended 1-1 at Rufaro and Barbourfields, which was a clear message that these two giants were matched pound for pound.
The defining moment also came at Rufaro on May 5, 2012, when the Hwange coaches were assaulted by some Dynamos thugs, disguised as marshals, just before the two sides clashed in a league game.
The Hwange coaches were rushed to hospital after having sustained serious injuries, and the colliery side, playing the match under protest and without the technical and tactical input from their coaching staff, crumbled to a 2-4 defeat. Given the circumstances, it was an honourable showing by the visitors and the PSL disciplinary committee, to their credit, ordered a replay of this farce, which was disguised as a league match.
However, The ZIFA Appeals Committee shockingly overturned that decision and ruled that the result of the match should stand, which was later upheld at arbitration on November 16.
There is no evidence that Hwange would have, at least, fought for a draw had their coaches not been attacked but when one looks at the result of the match, it’s possible that would have happened.
The psychological trauma inflicted on their players, who had a ringside seat to this savage attack, must have been unbearable.
The football gods, though, have a way of hitting back and when the Glamour Boys visited Hwange the following season, they crashed to a 2-4 thrashing at the colliery.
DeMbare’s biggest victory in 2012 was a 6-0 thrashing of Blue Ribbon, a team which was led by the very man who is now the club chairman at the Glamour Boys, Moses Maunganidze.
KK’s Bosso also recorded a huge win that season — a 7-1 thrashing of neighbours Quelaton at Barbourfields.
The following season, the two giants ended the campaign deadlocked at the top on 54 points.
Bosso even won more games than DeMbare (16 compared to 14) and scored more goals (45 compared to 43) but lost the ultimate prize on goal difference because they conceded 27 goals while Dynamos conceded 22 goals.
The difference, ultimately, was three goals (+21 for DeMbare and +18 for Bosso), and these are the fine margins that ensured KK would not be a champion.
A STRANGE ROMANCE IN WHICH KK HAS NOTHING TO LOSE
Today, the same KK finds himself at Dynamos — a marriage which, if someone had told me was possible a few months ago, I would have responded by advising him that his next appointment should be with a psychiatrist.
KK’s mandate is to try and save DeMbare from sinking into Division One.
And the irony of it all is that he could succeed in a season where both Bosso and CAPS United — the other members of the Big Three — could also be relegated.
It’s such a unique season in which the worst-case scenario could see all the members of the Big Three — Dynamos, Highlanders and CAPS United — accompanying Kwekwe United into Division One. KK took a huge gamble when he accepted the poisoned chalice and went into bed with Bernard Marriot, the worst Dynamos leader in history, in a strange pact to try and save the Glamour Boys.
While many questioned the wisdom of his decision given the chaos at DeMbare — a club which is run in a way which makes tuckshop owners look like corporate leaders running firms listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange.
But I understood it because it’s a mission that KK can’t fail. If DeMbare go down, he knows that the blame will not fall on him but on Marriot and his clowns who could get into the Guinness Book of Records as a reference point on how to destroy a people’s football club.
The analysts will say that by the time KK arrived, the real damage had been inflicted, DeMbare were already on a life support system and not even Pep Guardiola and his genius could have saved the team from relegation.
They will say that it would be grossly unfair to have expected that KK would revive a club which, at the time of his appointment, had won just two games in 23 games.
They will say that it would be grossly unfair to have expected that KK would revive a club which, with 10 games to go, had just three wins in 24 matches — the second worst return in the league. They will say it would be grossly unfair to have expected that KK would revive a club which, with 10 games to go, had scored only seven goals — the worst return in the league and the only one yet to reach double figures.
Remarkably, even Kwekwe United, widely considered the worst team to play in the domestic Premiership, have scored more goals, three more goals in fact, than Dynamos.
They will say it would be grossly unfair to have expected that KK would revive a club which, with 10 games to go, had the second worst goal difference (-14) with only Kwekwe United (-39) in a worse position.
Then, there is the flip side.
What if he succeeds?
If he succeeds in the mission and saves Dynamos from relegation then he will be hailed as a genius and everything that he lost when he was fired from Bosso, in one of the most bizarre decisions of this season, will be restored to him.
His agent will not spend the off-season looking for a job for KK.
He would have secured his job for next season, and probably the season to follow, at Dynamos which, hopefully by then, would have been freed from the madness that has come with Marriot.
Already, we have seen the benefits that come with employing a proper coach instead of the Mickey Mouse crews of the likes of Lloyd “MaBlanyo” Chigowe and the hopelessly out-of-depth Saul Chaminuka.
We have already seen the first signs of the stability that comes with investment in proper football coaches and Dynamos’ recent run, in the three matches since they announced KK’s appointment, has been their best this season.
In an instant, he has injected some life into the Glamour Boys and where they were like sheep being led into the slaughter chamber, like when they were crushed by Chicken Inn, they now appear like lions who have remembered how to fight back.
They were disciplined in their Chibuku Super Cup battle against Yadah, they showed the will to fight back in their next assignment in the same tournament against Simba Bhora.
And, against all expectations, they are in the quarter-finals of this tourney.
Yes, they won both matches by penalties but that also needs composure, discipline, planning and the right character.
KK might ultimately fail to succeed in his mission to save Dynamos but, in these early stages of his romance with the club which used to represent the ultimate rival, there are signs that he could turn things around.
He has nothing to lose and everything to win in this surprise romance.
My initial preference was that Dynamos should be relegated because I think that is the only way that Marriot and the clowns who support him will understand that they have messed things up at this club.
But, after the arrival of KK, I have to say that I have been forced to have some second thoughts because he is a very good coach and, more importantly, he is a very good man and I have always wanted him to succeed.
The good thing is that even if he succeeds in his mission to save Dynamos, it will still send a powerful message that Marriot and his leadership are still the elephant in the room because they were complicit by their appointment of Mickey Mouse coaches.
And, the kamikaze way they have been running this club.
To God Be The Glory
Peace to the GEPA Chief, the Big Fish, George Norton, Daily Service, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and all the Chakariboys still in the struggle.
Come on Warriors!!!!!!!!!!!!
Khamaldinhoooooooooooo!
Text Feedback – +263772545199
WhatsApp – +263772545199
Email: [email protected]
You can also interact with me on Twitter (@Chakariboy), Facebook, Instagram (sharukor)
