adminSenior Sports Reporter
BUFFALOES gaffer Saul Chamunika says being relegated from the Castle Lager Premiership League is not in his scheme of things and instead he is aiming for a top eight finish.
Chaminuka took over as Buffaloes head coach recently and his first game in charge of the Mutare army side turned into a nightmare as he agonisingly watched his charges slump to a humiliating 0-4 drubbing at the hands of FC Platinum.
His first home match was against How Mine last Sunday and to his credit and that of his players, the team held the highly fancied How Mine to a one-all stalemate at Sakubva Stadium.
On Sunday, the Mutare soldiers will face How Mine in a mid-season back-to-back encounter at Luveve Stadium in Bulawayo in a match that will be beamed live on pay-per-view television channel, SuperSport 9.
And the Buffaloes mentor believes that the Mutare side will not be relegated even though they have well-documented financial challenges as a team.
“Our chances of avoiding relegation are very high. In fact, we are not supposed to be talking about relegation at all. Relegation is not in my scheme of things at all. Well, it is not a secret that we do not have money as a team. By saying this, I do not want to sound anarchist, but I just want to make it clear that irrespective of all those challenges, we will concentrate on playing good football and hope to entertain our fans.
“If anything, I am looking forward to a top eight finish this season. I have confidence that we will be able to achieve that.
“That is a benchmark I set for myself and I was not given it by anyone. I am an ambitious coach and I reasonably believe that we can achieve that,” said Chaminuka.
Buffaloes are in their fourth consecutive season in the top-flight league since their return to the domestic Premiership in 2012 and just like in most of the previous campaigns, the team faces real danger of being relegated.
But Chaminuka, who led the team to an impressive top eight finish upon their promotion in 2012, could once again guide the club in this survival series, even without the financial resources that team had when he achieved a top eight finish in 2012.
Fixtures
Friday (today): Tsholotsho FC v ZPC Kariba FC White City Stadium 91500hrs SS):
Saturday: Chicken Inn FC v Caps United FC Luveve Stadium (1500hrs SS); Harare City FC v Flame Lily FC (Rufaro Stadium); FC Platinum v Chapungu FC (Mandava Stadium):
Sunday: WhaWha FC v Dongo Sawmill FC (Ascot Stadium); Dynamos FC v Hwange FC (Rufaro Stadium); Triangle United FC v Highlanders FC (Gibbo Stadium); How Mine FC v Buffaloes FC (Luveve Stadium 1500hrs SS).
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