Knee injury forces ex-Bosso star to take up coaching

Fungai Muderere ,Senior Sports Reporter

FORMER Highlanders FC defender Webster Chingodza says a right knee injury he sustained in August 2015 ended his career forcing him to venture into coaching at a young age.

He was injured in a game between the Bulawayo giants and now defunct How Mine in a Chibuku Super Cup match at Barbourfields Stadium. After failing to recover and retiring to his fate, Chingodza then ventured into coaching. Now 36, Chingodza joined Bosso in 2014 during Zambian gaffer Kelvin Kaindu’s tenure. He sustained the injury a year later when the black and white army was now under the tutelage of Bongani Mafu.

Chingodza was quite good on the overlap and gifted with good crosses. The soft-spoken former player, who was injured at a prime age of 27, is now the head coach of Northern Region Division One side Trojan Stars.

“I’m now into coaching. After that knee injury I had to quit early and venture into coaching. I didn’t recover from that injury I picked up after I landed awkwardly at the Empakweni end of Barbourfields Stadium. I have no hard feelings with regards to that because playing for Highlanders was a dream come true for me,” said the Level Two coaching certificate holder.

At Trojan Stars he succeeded ex-Dynamos assistant coach Ralph Kawondera just before the end of last year.

“I assumed the role of head coach at Trojan Stars in August last year after taking over from Kawondera who had really done a good job with the club. I’m looking forward to pursuing some Caf courses. There is always a need to upgrade yourself,” said Chingodza.

He said Trojan Stars is a fine project that has managed to churn out good talented players with some of them having been engaged by Premier Soccer League sides that include ZPC Kariba. After successfully doing duty at Trojan Stars, the duo of ex-Warriors fringe player Raphael Manhuvire and Stars captain Brian Kativhu, recently joined ZPC Kariba.

At Bosso, Chingodza, played alongside the likes of Innocent Mapuranga, Mthulisi Maphosa, Knox Mutizwa, Felix Chindungwe, Bruce Kangwa and Obidiah Tarumbwa.-@FungaiMuderere