SCRAMBLE FOR GAMECOCKS JOB

Fungai Muderere
COULD it be things fall apart or a televised revolution at Chicken Inn as the departure of championship winning coach Joey Antipas has left a sink hole that needs a lot of matter to fill up?

Antipas is on his way to AmaZulu who play in South Africaaï¿½ï¿½s National First Division and he leaves with three players as widely reported.

These are reigning Goalkeeper of the Year Elvis Chipezeze, towering defender Lawrence aï¿½?Dazzyaï¿½? Mhlanga and
holding midfielder Tafadzwa aï¿½?Mtshinaaï¿½? Kutinyu.

Notwithstanding those that have also been searching for greener pastures down South namely Edmore Chirambadare, Mitchel Katsvairo who are Kaizer Chiefs-bound, skipper Danny Phiri and Moses Demera are reportedly on Golden Arrows radar aï¿½ï¿½ they went for trials recently.

This means there will be a lot of places to fill in the teamaï¿½ï¿½s starting line-up because only a skeletal structure will be left earliest by July.

But the big one is the top job and the assistantaï¿½ï¿½s role. Antipas is set to leave with his right hand man Prince Matore who he worked with at now defunct Motor Action before joining Chicken Inn.

They are a telepathic collaboration having brought their winning formula from Motor Action where they were champions in 2010. They now take it to South Africa.

Those eyeing the jobs are Agent Sawu and Mandla Mpofu, who once worked at Chicken Inn as the late Adam Ndlovuaï¿½ï¿½s assistant.

Initially sources say, Madinda Ndlovu who recently clinched the Botswana Mascom Top 8 Cup with Orapa United was offered the job but declined.

Rahman Gumboaï¿½ï¿½s name was also thrown into the hat but the Chicken Inn leadership thought that they could not afford him.

On Wednesday, Chicken Inn issued a statement saying while they had identified suitable replacements for Antipas and Matore, they would announce them in due course.

aï¿½?Chicken Inn Football Club would like to confirm that the head of our Technical Department, Joey Antipas and his assistant Prince Matore, will leave their positions with the club with effect from 1 July 2016. They have agreed in principle to move to AmaZulu Football Club of South Africa,aï¿½? said club chairman Lifa Ncube.

He added: aï¿½?They both remain focused on achieving the mid-season targets and retain all respect and commitment from all within the club. Out of respect for the players and all the clubaï¿½ï¿½s stakeholders, we wish to make this decision official to remove the unnecessary burden of speculation.

aï¿½?The club would like to wish both Joey and Prince all the success in their future endeavours and we are appreciative of their incredible list of achievements from the time they began their association with the Gamecocks to date.

Suitable replacements have been identified and will be announced in due course.aï¿½?