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Mpofu has been elevated to the position of head coach which has been vacant following the tragic death of legendary striker Adam “Adamski” Ndlovu in a car crash last month.
Sources close to the fast foods outlets sponsored club told this publication that the Chicken Inn executive gave Mpofu the thumbs up before New Year.
“Mandla (Mpofu) has been appointed as the head coach at Chicken Inn. The executive felt that he deserved to be given a chance and the other thing that they considered is that he worked closely with the late Ndlovu and knows the players well.
“They did not want to disturb the team’s understanding and they settled for Mpofu. He will be assisted by Sikhumbuzo Banda who was second assistant coach last season and goalkeepers’ coach Julius Ndlovu”, said the source.
Mpofu, a former Highlanders, Ziscosteel and Railstars midfielder, started his coaching career at the railmen where he was assisting renowned juniors coach Ali “Baba” Dube in 2005.
In 2007, he was promoted to the first team as assistant gaffer to Dan Ndlovu and the following season joined former Victoria Falls Division One Soccer League club Kujatana.
When he took over at Kujatana, the resort town club was swimming in the murky relegation waters but he changed the team’s fortunes and led them to an unbeaten run of 13 games which saw them end the season on position four. His Kujatana squad had among other players Shabanie Mine striker Tarisai Rukanda, Chicken Inn winger Tendai Ndoro, ex-Quelaton midfielder Fortune Nkomazana, Hwange defender Tonisani Sibelo, former Highlanders Under-19 captain Lindelani “Vice” Ncube and How Mine’s goalkeeper Nonjabulo Dube.
He left Kujatana at the end of 2008 season and joined Bantu Rovers who had bought a Premiership franchise and assisted Methembe Ndlovu for six months. He spent the remainder of the season at Railstars.
Mpofu spent the 2010 and 2011 seasons as Railstars’ head coach in the Zifa Southern Region Division One Soccer League and led the club to the runners-up slot in both seasons.
At the beginning of 2012, former Warriors striker Adam brought him into his technical team and they guided Chicken Inn to a third place finish behind Dynamos and Highlanders.
Contacted for comment about Mpofu’s appointment, Chicken Inn’s secretary-general Tawengwa Hara said they would make an official announcement after their Monday meeting.
“The executive will meet on Monday to discuss the 2013 season. We lost our head coach and that affected our planning for the coming season. We have not had time to meet because people were out on holiday but now that we are back, we will meet on Monday.
“Some of the issues to be discussed include the technical set up as well as looking at the programme which Adamski had presented to us before his passing on. We have to discuss whether we follow that programme completely or make some adjustments to it. As management we believe he worked on the programme with his assistants and we will discuss it with them,” said Hara.
Online Reporter