Andrew
Langton Nyakwenda
Sports Reporter
WHILE controversy denied him what would have been his first ever Coach of the Year award back in 2008, there were no qualms this time when Norman Mapeza bagged his third accolade at a colourful ceremony in Harare last week.
The 50-year-old gaffer is fresh from guiding FC Platinum to their record-equalling fourth straight Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title.
He was duly rewarded with the 2021/2022 Coach of the Year award.
It was his third Coach of the Year accolade since 2008, when he plunged into the coaching field after a glittering playing career that saw him not only feature on the Soccer Stars calendar but also excel for Zimbabwe’s Warriors.
Yet, the recent award could have been the fourth time for Mapeza, had the sports journalists not disqualified him from the race back in 2008.
That accolade was controversially won by Philani “Beefy” Ncube, who had guided Njube Sundowns to a respectable third place on the final log standings.
Mapeza, who had won his first league title as coach with Monomotapa, was disqualified for his involvement in an altercation with a rowdy Eastern Lions fan, popularly known as “Mambo Jesu”.
It might be 14 years back, but Mapeza still thinks about that incident and how he lost that award.
He would, however, “rather not dwell much on that sad part’’ of his history.
“I would rather not talk about it, instead, I should celebrate winning another Coach of the Year award, which is my third in recent years,” Mapeza told The Sunday Mail Sport.
He also won it in 2017 and 2018.
“I am more than happy with my achievements as a coach because this is what we dreamed of as we were growing up back in Chitungwiza.”
As a player, Mapeza managed to be on the local Soccer Stars calendar once and that was in 1993, when he starred for the now defunct Darryn T.
Mapeza could have been Soccer Star of the Year, the preceding season, but he received a red card in a match against Black Aces, who would go on to provide the winner Wilfred Mugeyi.
Since turning into coaching, the former Galatasaray defender has, however, churned out scores of Soccer Stars since 2008, two years after he hung up his boots.
The 14-man list of stars who have come through his hands is made up of Daniel Zokoto, Mthulisi Maphosa, Godfrey Mangove, Thabani Kamusoko, Brian Muzondiwa, Petros Mhari, Winston Mhango, Walter Musona, Rodwell Chinyengetere, Kevin Moyo, Farai Madhanaga, Never Tigere, Gift Bello and Wallace Magalane.
The ex-Monomotapa trio of Zokoto, Mangove and Maphosa were on the calendar in 2008.
Kamusoko made the finalists list in 2014, during Mapeza’s first year in charge at FC Platinum.
Brian Muzondiwa would follow in 2015, while Mhari won the Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2016, and was accompanied on that season’s calendar by teammates Musona and Mhango.
Chinyengetere was crowned Soccer Star of the Year in 2017, pipping teammate Moyo, before repeating the feat in 2018, when Moyo and Madhanaga also made it on the calendar.
Tigere was among the best 11 of 2019, before Musona’s crowning moment for the 2021/2022 term.
Veteran defender Bello and magnificent goalkeeper Magalane are also part of the stars of 2022.
“I am more than happy when I realise I have contributed this much.
“When I was growing up with my friends in Chitungwiza, this is what we wanted to achieve. “We always had this fighting spirit, a spirit that pushed us to never accept defeat. If we failed, we would try again.
“In 1992, I was a contender for the Soccer Star of the Year award but I got a red card against Black Aces and I was disqualified.
“I was still 20 then but I never gave up.
“I always talked about that incident with my friends. They would say, ‘You failed to make it onto the calendar.’ I would say to them, ‘What about next year?’
“Thank God, in 1993, I managed to be on the calendar.
“That’s what I always tell these guys that if you play for many seasons and you don’t make it onto the calendar, then you need to ask yourself some questions,” he said.
Mapeza is also credited with moulding FC Platinum into a dominant bull that has ruled for the past four seasons.
Yet, it was not all rosy at first for Mapeza, who arrived in Zvishavane in August, 2014.
He did not promise his employers heaven on earth, neither did he guarantee a league title in his first few seasons in charge.
He asked for patience, as he had a strong belief that in at least three years, FC Platinum would become a dominant force in domestic football.
The miners finished fourth with 51 points in 2014.
They were third with 53 points in 2015 and second with 61 points in 2016.
But they struck the right chord in 2017, and have been champions since then.
“You can see we have been progressing. It’s all about hard work.
“It’s not about Mapeza only, everyone has been playing his role – the technical staff, players, the executive and fans.”
Mapeza has inculcated a culture of winning at FC Platinum.
They are not easily breakable.
They lost only thrice the whole season, keeping 23 clean sheets in the process.
“The moment you develop systematic movements, knowing what to do when certain situations arise, then, you won’t have any issues.
“Every player will know that in such a moment, we have to manage the game, in such a moment, we need to speed up the tempo of the game, or in such a moment, we need to slow down the game.
“When someone knows all this, then you don’t have any problems.
“But, it’s all about drills.
“If you read football books, they will tell you drills mustn’t be repetitive because they become boring but how can I jump a certain drill when the players are not understanding it?
“We have to work on those repetitions . . . five minutes of defending, five minutes of attacking, we need to know how to deal with attacks from all angles.
“If the players master it, then it all becomes easier.”
An avid reader of European football books and a disciple of Pep Guardiola and Maurizio Sarri, Mapeza likes to keep in touch with the latest trends in the game.
And he has stumbled on a quote that he likes most.
“You achieve your trophies in training,” he says.
“When it’s competition time, you just go and collect them. I always tell my boys that they earn their trophies at training because that is where it all starts.”
And with two Chibuku Super Cup titles to add to his array of league championships, the former Warriors skipper has long earned his stripes.
■ Twitter: @LangtonGuraz
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter