Tadious Manyepo-Zimpapers Sports Hub
CHICKEN Inn coach Tonderai Ndiraya admits it feels crazy to mount a hurdle that could knock the fight off Scottland’s Premiership title defence bid at Rufaro this afternoon.
The rearranged match is an all-important fixture for the Mabvuku team, who will reduce the gap between them and leaders Hardrock to just two points with two games before the season comes to an end.
But it is Ndiraya, the very man who helped them win the championship last year, who could yet again deny them the chance to do it this year.
The former Dynamos midfielder was axed, rather surprisingly, by Scottland soon after delivering the league honours in the team’s maiden top-flight campaign.
He wasn’t the only one to be thrown out of the window as his backroom staff was also dismissed with Scottland appointing Norman Mapeza to carry the torch for them.
But a disastrous campaign in the CAF Champions League and an indifferent script in the Chibuku Super Cup and the league marathon saw him being relieved of his duties recently.
Scottland have since appointed team manager and legendary Warriors captain Peter Ndlovu to steer the ship in the remaining games.
Ndlovu introduced himself in emphatic fashion claiming a famous 1-0 win against CAPS United in his first game last week to keep Mabviravira in contention.
“Look, you know, for me this game is special. I won’t lie about that,” Ndiraya said.
“Scottland is a team I know very well, a team I helped build, a team with players I brought in and worked with every day. I have respect for them, I have respect for the management, and I will always be grateful for the opportunity they gave me.
“But football does not allow you to live in the past. Right now, I am the Chicken Inn coach, and my loyalty is 100 percent to Chicken Inn. My job is to make Chicken Inn win football matches, and that is exactly what we must do on Wednesday (today).
“People will talk about revenge or emotions, but for me it is not about revenge. It is about points. We need the points badly. The league table is very tight, we have worked hard in training this week, and the boys understand what is at stake. If we want to achieve our targets this season, we have to beat teams like Scottland.
“I know their strengths, I know their weaknesses, but they also know me. They know how I think, how I want my teams to play. So, it will be a tactical battle. Who wants it more? Who is more disciplined over 90 minutes?
“I have told my players, forget about my history with Scottland. This is about Chicken Inn. We play for our badge, for our supporters who have been behind us even when results were not coming. We owe them a big performance.”
