Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ONE year is a lot of time in football and one of the people who can easily attest to that is Tonderai Ndiraya.
In the corresponding Match-day week last year Exactly this week last year, the Scottland coach was praying and probably fasting for Simba Bhora to beat Arenel Movers at Luveve.
Back then Ndiraya was the boss in Simba Bhora’s dugout.
And he needed to beat the Bulawayo side who had already been relegated to deliver the Premier Soccer League title to the Shamva community for the first time.
The former Dynamos gaffer managed to do just that with two more games to spare.
Today Ndiraya will probably be praying and probably fasting for a Simba Bhora slip-up when they welcome Highlanders at Wadzanai.
Scottland will then have the luxury of going into their battle against Kwekwe United at Ascot tomorrow, knowing the outcome of the match in Shamva.
Should Simba Bhora falter as they have been doing in the last few weeks that followed their CAF Champions League preliminary round exit, then Scottland have a big chance of wrapping up an historic Premiership title with victory over Kwekwe United tomorrow.
Kwekwe have already been demoted after spending the entire season anchored at the basement.
Such is the beauty of this game that former Simba Bhora players, who moved along with Ndiraya to Scottland at the beginning of this season who include reigning Soccer Star Walter Musona, Golden Boot aspirant Tymon Machope and Talbert Shumba will be rallying the opposition corner this time.
But Ndiraya said this is not the time to look at how other teams perform but to concentrate on their own race.
“I think it’s more about us rather than them scenario,” said Ndiraya.
“We are certainly more concerned about what we can do as a team rather than looking at other clubs at this moment.
“We know for sure that Simba Bhora is a good team. We are leading with six points at the top with three games to go but there are no guarantees in football.
“Imagine if they win against Highlanders, they will reduce the deficit to three points. That could give us a tight breathing space.
“That will mean we have to win against Kwekwe United at all costs. That could put some pressure on us.
“But all the same, we have worked so hard to be where we are at the moment. We need four points from three games and that really sounds good for us looking at the quality we have as Scottland.
“We are looking at ourselves and the possibilities ahead of us. We are prepared as we have always been, to face Kwekwe United in the right frame of mind regardless of whether Highlanders have stopped Simba Bhora or not. This is the situation and I am very confident that we will beat Kwekwe United.”
Ndiraya, sitting right on the brink of becoming the first coach to win the league title with two different teams in successive years, isn’t going ahead of himself.
If Bosso manage to stop Simba Bhora, Ndiraya could be the man to set alight Ascot again, nine years after Lloyd Chitembwe did that with CAPS United on the final day of the season.
CAPS United beat Chapungu 1-0 with Simba Nhivi scoring the all-important goal, and for once Ascot Stadium came alive.
Scottland’s colourful band of fans are expected to be in Gweru in hordes as several buses have been lined up to ferry them to the Midlands capital and possibly witness history being re-written.
The Mabvuku team will become the first club to win the title in their maiden year, 41 years after Black Rhinos achieved that feat in 1984.
“We will cross the river when we get there,” added Ndiraya.
“For now, we have to put in the work and see what happens. I would like to thank our management and club owner Pedzai “Scott” Sakupwanya for the support they have given us throughout the season.
“I could be on my way to set a new record but all credit goes to the owner and management for their incredible support.
“What is important is for us to keep our focus and see what comes up,” Ndiraya said.
