Saints executive talks action

ZIMBABWE Saints’ core business is playing football and the new executive wants to hit the ground running and get the team into Zifa structures.

Lloyd Munhanga, a former club junior player who has held several positions at the institution, was made interim chairman on Sunday replacing Ishmael Kaguru.

At the meeting a new set of trustees was put in place to replace one which had Vincent Pamire, Cliff Manhungo and Mr E Bere as the remaining members having been thrust into that position in 2021 by the former.

In an interview yesterday, Munhanga acknowledged that there was a lot of work lying ahead for the executive and trustees.

His primary concern, he said, was getting football activity running at the club and fighting negative perceptions inherent in the last two decades at one of Bulawayo and Zimbabwe’s oldest football clubs.

Saints were booted out of Zifa last August after they failed to fulfil some of their obligations like paying referees on time.

“What I want to tell our supporters is that our core business is playing football. I will ensure that we do that. That is already in motion, we have young boys playing from junior up to division football,” said Munhanga.

He said they were involved in discussions with Zifa to find out where they could be placed, although indications have been that they will campaign in Division Two and have a junior development wing.

A group of former players last month approached the club executive and then trustee of Zimbabwe Saints Pamire and expressed interest to have a Division Two franchise whose team they will fund from their pockets while club administration looks at other club matters that include assets – the clubhouse and two houses in Rangemore.

Saints have over the years attracted a lot of negative perceptions, something that is worrying Munhanga. He promised that they would work hard to ensure there is credibility in all business done by members of the club.

“There is negative perception on social media in general about Zimbabwe Saints, chauya chikwata, chaenda chikwata, chauya chikaenda, we have to change the image of the club,” said Munhanga.

He said some legendary figures had come from the club, something that should stay high in the minds of members that their heroes’ efforts were not in vain.

“We have living legends Sugar Muguyo, Gibson Homela, the younger generation of Mayor Eric, Muzondiwa Mugadza, Lovejoy Mugadza and the new Zifa technical director’ Chemmy Hunidzarira, Ephraim Chawanda, plenty of them,” said Munhanga about the club’s list of legends.

He said some former players in the diaspora where motivated and want to ensure the club takes its place in the Zimbabwe football landscape.

Chikwata’s first national title was the 1974 Nyore Nyore Cup followed by the 1976 Chibuku Trophy in which they beat Highlanders 4-0 to win the Chibuku Trophy.

In 1977 they won the league and cup double with some of the best players in the land , UIsaac Banda, Steve Kwashi, Homela, William Sibanda, Muguyo, Max Tshuma, Douglas Maneto and Andrew Kadengu.

Saints’s last successful year was 1988 when they won the league title and Chibuku Trophy and had Ephraim Chawanda crowned Soccer Star of the Year.

A new generation of heroes emerged in Innocent Rwodzi, Agent Sawu, Matambanashe Sibanda, Chipo Tsodzo, Dumisani Dube, Mlungisi Ndebele, Phathisani Hlabangana, Butho Mahachi, Mtshumayeli Moyo and Mthulisi Maphosa.