adminHighlanders coach Kelvin Kaindu vowed his team will come back stronger than ever next season after narrowly losing the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title to Dynamos. The Bulawayo giants agonisingly fell at the final hurdle, via goal difference, in their bid to end a seven-year wait for the title. Bosso led the race excellently, going for 23 matches without a defeat. But a string of draws were always going to count against them in the end. Despite the painful ending, the Zambian gaffer chose to look at positives, stating that winning the silver medal boded well for rebuilding the squad.
“Maybe only somebody who is blind cannot see that this thing is heading somewhere,” said Kaindu after receiving his silver medal at Gwanzura Stadium. “With the way we played this year, we are on the right track and next year we will be fighting for the big one. It’s unfortunate that we didn’t win the championship. I think it is God who planned the way things have ended.”
Dynamos fans still refer to their championship winning coach Callisto Pasuwa as “Ras” but to his fellow Johane Masowe eChishanu sect members, he is “Madzibaba Pasuwa”. Ras is a term used by Rastafarians, and in Pasuwa, the fans still see that talented dreadlocked midfielder.
“My life was a mess before turning to God. I neither drank beer nor smoked, but hardly a week would pass without being arrested. At one point I was nearly jailed after beating up a war veteran,” said Pasuwa shaking his head.
“Even at my former workplace, Fredrick Sage, where I was a foreman, I used to beat up workers hence the nickname ‘Manabhundu’. Peter Fanuel was friends with my workmate Daniel D’Souza who had the same nickname and equally ill-treated subordinates. That is how he gave me that nickname.”
The turning point in his life came in 2003 when his youngest daughter fell sick. “When one of my three kids fell sick in 2003, a guy called Clever Denere invited me to the church and that is when my life took a positive turn. Together with Masimba Dinyero and Lloyd Mutasa we started going to that church with our families seriously. Since then my family is very happy. Before that, everything was just not working for me. I lost more than fifteen taxi cars. I also bought three houses, but they had been sold to other people. The courts would tell us to go and live together at the house and I would just turn my back . . . “Chinamato chakandipa direction (the church gave me direction). I have since learnt to be humble and this has helped me relate to the players, supporters and even the executive.”
Rahman Gumbo: “I am a son of this football crazy nation who did not disappoint Zimbabwe during my heydays as a player. I distinguished myself as a true Warrior during the Dream Team era. I also acquitted myself with distinction as a coach for various big teams in the region. I have been reflecting on my role as head coach given the current operational environment and I have seen it prudent to officially announce my commitment to the game of football in Zimbabwe. I shall always be part of the building brigade for local football. I have found it in the best interest of Zimbabwean football in general and the Warriors specifically, that I recuse myself from the senior national team set up for now. I am not quitting but I am taking a sabbatical leave of absence from the senior national team. Should another call up come in the future, I shall always be available.”
Ernest “Maphepha” Sibanda on nine lives after surviving Asiagate ban: “Having worked with these youngsters even at Highlanders, my heart really goes out to them and I celebrate together with Washington Arubi and Nyasha Mushekwi for they are now free as well. The only dark spot is however the banning of young men like Zenzo Moyo and Methembe Ndlovu.”
Quelaton director Tawanda Ruzive after his team was confirmed relegated a month before the season ended: “We learnt a lot in the Premier League. The experience we got is just invaluable and even as we go back to Division One Soccer League, we know what to do to get things right. Actually from now up to February, this is the time for us to put a plan of action because we are targeting returning after two seasons. We say two seasons because we will recruit youngsters and then they will be mature for PSL action.”
Shabanie Mine coach Luke Masomore on coaches’ behaviour: “Some coaches are like musicians they shout ‘ref infringement, throw in, raise your flag, put it down.’ They spend the whole 90 minutes singing. Supersport is here and the whole world is watching us now. We do our work during the week and during match day we must leave the officials to do their work.”
Former Highlanders player and coach Mkhuphali Masuku on move to Caps United: It’s a new challenge for me. Caps United are a big side with big ambitions and obviously there will always be pressure and I hope to handle it.”
Moses Chunga after Gunners were relegated: “It’s unfortunate. We left it too late and we have paid the price. Of course I have saved other teams from relegation before, but there was always going to be a first time. But overally, we played well. At the moment I am going home and then will plan for the future.”
The late Chicken Inn coach Adam Ndlovu after guiding his team to a third place in the Premiership with a win over Quelaton: “I am happy with the three points, but we should have scored more goals. My players were not hungry in front of goal. Our aim is to finish in the top eight. The Monomotapa loss to Dynamos has worked in our favour.”
Henrietta Rushwaya, the former Zifa chief executive officer and suspected mastermind of the Asiagate match-fixing operation, accepted the life ban passed on her by the mother body. Rushwaya said she still felt the verdict was sexist, but said she hoped it would clear the way for local football to develop.
“I feel like they have made me an easy target because I am a woman, but this began way before I was in office and I just fell into the trap. However, I accepted being the scapegoat and I have dusted myself while moving on with my life. I am sorry for those who are trying to get to grips with their sentences, but I hope with this conclusion our football continues to grow to the extent of qualifying for the World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. And my advice to journalists is that they have to advance their education just in case things like this happen and they end up getting stranded,” she said, without being specific. Rushwaya said she was now focused on her budding political career.
Caps United director Farai Jere left the club and also relinquished his shareholding in November. Jere, who had been at the club for the past seven years, left his fellow director Twine Phiri as the sole shareholder at the club.
“The passion we have for this team is great, but maybe the method of getting the results is wrong. There is some secret at this club that I do not even know. Maybe I do not have the luck and it is time for someone who can bring the good luck to take over. In 2009 Caps had eight players that won the Cosafa Cup for Zimbabwe but the team was fighting relegation. Remember we had players such as Method Mwanjali, Edmore Sibanda, Tafadzwa Rusike and Nyasha Mushekwi in that team.
“I have done everything for Caps, but results have not been coming. The players are well-paid. They get $500 as winning bonuses while players from other teams get $150. Caps are a big club and it has a club house. I am asking myself what we should do. I’m stuck. I am frustrated with the way the club has performed, but I also feel that I have played my part in local football.
“Anyone interested in the 25 percent ownership stake that I have should come forward.
“You cannot rule out anything, but to be honest with you, I have played my part. Many people are mistaken that I left Caps because of the defeat to Dynamos, but that is not true. I made this decision a long time ago and wanted the players to focus on the Mbada Diamonds Cup. Once the team was booted out, I saw it fit to announce my resignation from the game. People ask why but I also ask why results are not coming. This was the right time because I need to give my partner Twine Phiri time to prepare for next season when the players are still around. I remain a Caps United fan and will always attend its matches.”
Hwange secretary Burzil Dube on the club’s appeal against the Zifa Appeals Committee decision to award Dynamos three points. His team appealed to the Commercial Centre of Arbitration and lost the case.
“We have decided to appeal against the decision by the Zifa Appeals Committee; we are going for arbitration. We have already advised Zifa that we will lodge the appeal within the stipulated period. There are a lot of inconsistencies in the judgment. Why should they award them three points and in the same breath allow the $2 000 fine to stand. Awarding them the three points and then fining them is a very illogical decision because giving them the points means they are innocent. I can assure you that we will detail all the inconsistencies in our appeal.”
Monomotapa coach Biggie Zuze after coming back from two goals down to beat Highlanders 3-2 in the quarter-finals of the Mbada Diamonds Cup.
“This is good for us we are now in the running for the final. The players had a lot of confidence coming into today’s game as we beat Highlanders in a league game. We knew that Highlanders players could not keep up with the pace of my players for the whole 90 minutes. Even when we were two goals down, we knew we would bounce back.”
The PSL threatened to call off the Harare “Money game” between Dynamos and Highlanders if the two clubs accepted financial incentives announced by investment bank, BancABC. In a strongly worded statement, PSL CEO Kennedy Ndebele said if the two clubs accepted the incentives, that would breach PSL’s contract with league sponsors Delta Beverages.
BancABC had said it was putting up a $15 000 winner-takes-all prize for the match at Rufaro which could decide the destiny of the 2012 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title. The bank had said it would also pay $5 000 for the first goal scored in the opening five minutes; $3 000 will be for every goal scored and $1 500 to the man of the match.
“If the clubs fail to comply with the instruction, the League will have no alternative but to cancel the match. Further, the League will withhold the full Castle Lager Premier Soccer League prize money of the defaulting Club(s). Such prize money shall be forfeited to the League. The Castle Lager Premier Soccer League would like to advise all its members to ensure that they fully comply with the League’s Sponsorship Agreements, the PSL Constitution, Rules and Regulations and other relevant statutes in order to avoid conflicts.”
Soccer Star of the Year Denver Mukamba: “I am not South African material even though I have been there for trials before. Personally I think my destiny is Europe and that is where I will go. People should expect to see Mukamba playing at the highest level in Europe, especially in England and that is not wishful thinking. I however, have to work extra hard if my dream has to become a reality. I am really delighted by winning the Soccer Star of the Year award, with the hard work I put in and the way I ended the season I think I deserved it. All I want to do now is keep focused on my football. Competition is good in football so I would like to urge my runners up to pull up their socks.”
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