Robson Sharuko
Metros Editor
KELVIN Kaindu stands on the threshold of immortality but will it be a dream conclusion, and a place in domestic football’s history books, or will it once again end in tears?
In the 64-year history of the domestic Premiership, from its inception as a national top-flight league in 1962, no FOREIGN coach, of African descent, has won the biggest prize on the local football scene.
This was confirmed yesterday by the most authoritative voice in domestic football, the legendary Charles “CNN” Mabika.
Keegan Mumba came closest in 2003 when he took Dynamos to the gates of paradise only for their campaign to be hit by the three points which were docked for the use of Edmore Mufema.
Like Kaindu, Mumba was also a Zambian and he died in May 2014.
Other Zambians – the late Fordson Kabole, Fewdays Musonda and Ian Bakala – also tried their luck and so did the likes of Ghanaian gaffer Nti Behene Bonsu.
But, none of them could get the password to crack open the code that transforms coaches into championship-winning gaffers on the local scene.
Now, Kaindu, the most religious of them all, the finest gentlemen of them all, the least controversial of them all and probably the most liked of them all, now stands on the threshold of becoming the first one to win the championship.
The only foreign coach to take charge of the country’s two biggest clubs – Dynamos and Highlanders – could also become the first foreign coach, of African descent, to win the domestic Premiership title.
And, the odds are heavily staked in his favour.
Hardrock might even lose their final game of the season, against FC Platinum, and still win the championship – provided champions Scottland do not win their final game against Triangle at Gibbo.
Kaindu had a chance to win it on Saturday but, for the first time in ten games, his Hardrock failed to win despite dominating their goalless draw against Simba Bhora in Shamva.
Scottland, who were also frustrated in a goalless draw against Chicken Inn in midweek, thrashed Herentals to take the race into the final weekend where they also have a chance to be champions.
Scottland have a better goal difference and this means if they win their last game, and Hardrock fail to win their game, the championship will stay in Harare.
Interestingly, the race could be decided on goal difference, if Scottland win and Hardrock draw their final game, and such a scenario will see Kaindu relive the nightmare which stalked him at Highlanders in 2012 and 2013.
So, here we are – after 594 games, 192 victories, 192 defeats and 210 draws, the Castle Lager Premiership is just one game away from its conclusion.
Will Kaindu make history or will his world come crashing down once again?
Let’s take a look at some of the interesting statistics ahead of the final weekend of this intriguing championship race:
A FASCINATING WORLD OF FACTS AND FIGURES
· There is a possibility that like in 2012 and 2013, Kaindu could end the season with the same points as the club, which wins the championship, but still lose the race on goal difference in the event Hardrock’s final game ends in a draw and Scottland win against Triangle.
· During the 2012 season Kaindu’s Bosso ended their campaign with 69 points, the same as Dynamos, but lost the race on goal difference. The following season, Kaindu’s Bosso finished with 54 points, the same as Dynamos, but lost the race again on goal difference.
· If this happens again this year, Kaindu will become the first coach in the history of world football, to be denied the chance of winning his maiden top-flight championship title by losing the race three times on goal difference.
· He is already the only coach, in the history of the domestic Premiership, to lose only one game all season, but still fail to win the league championship.
· Some things just don’t make sense and ahead of his penultimate match on Saturday, Kaindu knew that it was in such a game, during the 2013 race, when his campaign suffered a fatal blow.
· Bosso had controlled the championship race but, in the penultimate game of the season, Kaindu endured a nightmare at Rufaro in a 0-4 thrashing at the hands of Harare City.
· That big loss, in a weekend in which DeMbare were held to a 2-2 draw by Chicken Inn, changed everything and, the following week, the Glamour Boys were champions, by virtue of a superior goal difference, over Bosso.
· If Bosso had limited the damage to a 0-1 defeat against Harare City, they would have been champions and Kaindu would have made history thirteen years ago.
· Is there a hidden hand of fate in all this? Why is it that both Hardrock and Scottland’s winning streak only ended when they notched their ninth straight win? Why on the ninth anniversary of the year when, for the first time since Independence, the championship was won by a club from outside Harare and Bulawayo (FC Platinum in 2017)?
· Scottland have no relationship to Scotland. The record for consecutive league championship wins in that country’s top-flight league is nine wins for Celtic and Rangers. The two Scottish giants’ primary colours blend well with Hardrock (Celtic) and Rangers (Scottland).
· Nine is also the number of games which Highlanders, who stopped Scottland’s bid to win 10 games in a row with a 1-0 win at Barbourfields, and Simba Bhora, who stopped Hardrock’s bid to win 10 games in a row with a goalless draw in Shamva, have both won this season.
· Bosso will not win the championship this year, in the year they are celebrating a Century of existence, but either their greatest player in history, Peter Ndlovu, or greatest Zambian servant in their history, Kelvin Kaindu, will be celebrating a championship.
