Moneybags eye Chitembwe

Chitembwe last week announced that he will be taking a sabbatical from the game as he is no longer motivated to coach any team and will not be extending his contract with CAPS United.
The contract expired at the end of last season.
CAPS United chief executive Maxwell Mironga has maintained that Chitembwe will sign to coach the Green Machine this season and revealed that a deal could be sealed as early as this week.
But the former Warriors midfielder has been dragging his feet over his commitment to the Green Machine with concerns within his family of the turbulent relationship between him and the CAPS United fans.
Last week Chitembwe dropped a bombshell when he announced that he was unlikely to renew his CAPS United contract and would take a break from the trenches of football coaching.
But sources have told The Herald that Chitembwe is being wooed by an attractive carrot that is being dangled by FC Platinum, the richest football club in the country, who want him to be their assistant coach.
Strategists at FC Platinum believe the technical team needs a disciplinarian, especially a a coach who has a firm hand in dealing with players recruited from the capital, and Chitembwe has emerged as first choice.
FC Platinum will get their Champions League campaign under way with a date against Green Mambas of Swaziland next month.
Reports indicate that FC Platinum have tabled a lucrative package for Chitembwe, which will see him getting a monthly salary of US$2 400.
That certainly more than doubles what he was earning at CAPS United and there will be less pressure, for him to deliver on a weekly basis, in an environment where he will be the assistant coach.
The platinum miners are the best paying football team in the country and Chitembwe will also get a signing-on fee of between US$25 000 and US$30 000 should the deal sail through.
FC Platinum paid about US$40 000, as a signing-on fee, for defender Itai Gwandu when he was recruited from Botswana last year but he failed to make an impact, in the tougher Premiership, and has been shipped out ahead of the forthcoming season.
Interestingly, Gwandu’s manager, during the negotiations, turned out to be a family member of one of the team’s coaches.
Chitembwe yesterday said reports linking him to FC Platinum were not true.
“Honestly speaking, I am not going to be involved in coaching this season. I have said it before and I think that was clear that I am taking a break,” said Chitembwe.
“I want to have quality time with my family as money is not everything.”
The former Shabanie Mine coach laughed off at suggestions that the good package being offered by FC Platinum may force him to have a change of the heart.
He said he did not consider a job paying US$2 400 a month to be tempting in terms of its financial package.
It is understood that former CAPS United gaffer Gumbo, who coached Chitembwe during his stint with the Harare giants in 2003, enjoys a good working relationship with the coach.
Reports say he advised the club’s management that recruiting Chitembwe to work as one of his assistants will bring stability to the technical team.
Interestingly, FC Platinum have created space for the possible arrival of Chitembwe by moving assistant coaches, Philani Mabhena and Patrick Mandizha, to their Under-19 team that won promotion into the Zifa Central Region Division One league.
Mabhena, who was on holiday in Bulawayo, was advised by phone that he was no longer needed to attend the team’s pre-season camp because he would now be working with the Under-19s.
Only Tendai Chikuni, Gumbo’s trusted lieutenant, remains as assistant coach with Peter “Captain Oxo” Nkomo retaining his role as goalkeepers’ coach.
The club juggled with the possibility of recruiting Brenna Msiska for that role and moving Nkomo into their Under-19 side but the management had a change of heart and decided to stick with the former Bosso coach.
FC Platinum’s leadership believe they lost last year’s championship because of divisions in their squad that was split between Harare and Bulawayo players.
The management now believe the recruitment of a coach from the capital into their technical team could help bring control to the dressing room and Chitembwe has emerged as the favourite because of his strict disciplinary record.
Yesterday, Platinum secretary coach, Philemon Muvengwa, said reports linking them to Chitembwe were just mere speculation.
“This is just mere speculation. I only read in the newspapers that he has quit coaching football,” said Muvengwa.
“We have already started our pre-season and we have our technical team in place and I am not aware of anything regarding Chitembwe coming to our club.”
FC Platinum have brought a breeze of professionalism into local football since gaining promotion into the top-flight league last year, often flexing their financial muscle.
Last year they acquired the cream of Premiership players as they offered attractive deals to players like Charles Sibanda, Benjamin Marere, Norman Maroto, Tafadzwa Dube and Zephaniah Ngodzo.
The club mounted a strong claim to the league title but were pipped to the big one by Harare giants Dynamos who also knocked them out of the Mbada Diamonds Cup at the semi-final stage.
And during the off season the club was again active on the market by acquiring Young Warriors’ captain Qadr Amini from Gunners as well as Highlanders skipper Gilbert Banda among a host of other players as they prepare for their maiden Champions League appearance.