PSL clubs — Is it wise to recycle coaches?

THE past few weeks have seen a number of coaches being fired and hired as the fight for honours in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League gathers momentum.
Teams in the elite league are seeking the ultimate prize in domestic football, a respectable finish on the log standings while others are making frantic efforts to escape the dreaded chop at the end of the season, hence the movement of coaches across various clubs.

With nine games left, teams know this is a crucial period to consolidate their positions and collect as many points as possible.

However, what has miffed most football spectators is the recycling of coaches as most Premiership clubs have resorted to simply exchanging coaches with a coach who has been fired by one team, moving to the another team vice versa. In most instances the assistant coaches only hold fort on a caretaker basis before they are replaced by another local as substantive coach.

Some football analysts say they do not see the logic of recruiting a coach who has failed at one club with the hope that he will immediately prove a saviour at another.

Last Monday, then Buffaloes head coach Luke Masomere announced his resignation with his side perched on position eight on the log. And no sooner had he called it quits than he was unveiled as How Mine head coach. Chikurupati had parted ways with Philani Ncube just a fortnight ago.

The Bulawayo-based How Mine are on the brink of relegation and are 12th on the log, one position away from facing the axe despite starting the league as one of the title contenders.

Moses Chunga, who had left strong relegation candidates, Chiredzi FC after an acrimonious battle with the club executive, replaced Masomere at the Mutare-based army side while Shabanie also announced changes to their technical bench, roping in Jairos Tapera as technical advisor while retaining John Phiri as head coach.

Football pundits seem to be perched on the fence on whether there are any benefits of employing a coach who has been relieved of his duties by another local club. Others felt that there were equal chances of success and failure, while others believed the move impacts negatively on the recruiting club.

Veteran football television commentator and analyst, Charles “CNN” Mabika said it was difficult for coaches to make an immediate impact once they were recruited as they needed time to acclimatise to a new team.

“I don’t believe a coach can move overnight and perform majestically. A coach needs time to plan on his next move and see how he can operate instead of jumping and starting work there and then. Look at Jostein Mathuthu, who was out of coaching for close to a year but on his return he has managed to make meaningful changes at Black Rhinos, winning in the league against Highlanders and booting Dynamos out of the Chibuku Super Cup because he had time to make plans on his next move,’’ said Mabika.

“I feel the willy-nilly movement of coaches is negative for the club, you only have to be Carlo Ancelotti or Jose Mourinho to be able to make a positive impact immediately.”

Mabika said changing teams was similar to changing from bachelorhood to marriage, where you need advice from your brothers and uncles who have already experienced the institution as getting in headlong without advice might have negative repercussions.

Former Highlanders coach, Cosmas “Tsano” Zulu said it was tricky changing coaches at this stage of the Premiership with only nine games left but added the move could prove either beneficial or disastrous.

“I think there is an equal chance of success and failure when you engage a new coach at such a critical stage because it takes time for a coach to instil his philosophy into the team while a change of guard might result in players assuming a winning attitude,’’ said Zulu.

“From experience, I have learnt that a coach needs four weeks or a month to be able to introduce his methods to a team and with only nine matches to go for the league to end, any coach employed now might struggle to get his rhythm going before the season ends.”

Zulu, however, said player attitude was critical and once they (players) got “bored” with a coach he might find it difficult to motivate them but when a person who isn’t even a football coach, successfully motivates them, the team can go on a winning spree.

“It is a bit dangerous to tamper with the technical team at this stage but players can get bored with a coach’s voice and when a new voice comes in they light up and improve on the field,” he said.

Zimbabwe Soccer Coaches Association’s Bhekimpilo Nyoni was of the opinion that reshuffling coaching staff can prove beneficial to a club as he (new coach) can bring in a new vitality to the team.

He said motivation is an important factor for football teams and once a coach was failing to inspire his charges they were bound to perform dismally.

Mabika, however, expressed concern with the way coaches were being easily fired saying it was a sign they were operating without contracts.

“I think Zisca should intervene because the way coaches are easily sacked shows they do not have contracts. A team goes three games losing and a coach is dropped just like that while there may be performance clauses in contracts, I know some of the coaches just work without contracts because they are desperate but that should not be the case.

“The problem is the coaches walk out with nothing when they are fired, it would be great if a coach is paid out of his contract rather than just being made to go without any financial compensation. When former Manchester United coach, David Moyes was fired, he was paid out of his contract and is financially comfortable while looking for another job,” he said.

Nyoni said most coaches were now resigning which was indicative they would have reached an understanding with the executives of their clubs and would be duly compensated for the remainder of their contracts.

Other teams that have restructured their technical departments this year include FC Platinum, where Lloyd Mutasa resigned from the Zvishavane-based team to make way for Norman Mapeza, Bigboy Mawiwi was given the boot at Harare City with his assistant, Masimba Dinyero taking over and Arthur Tutani made way for Mathuthu at Rhinos.