Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
MANICA Diamonds FC coach Jairos Tapera says travelling each week for their home and away games has had a negative impact on his team’s performances this season.
Mutare-based Manica Diamonds travel about 320 kilometres when they are at home as they use Gibbo in Triangle.
They travel close or even more kilometres for their away games depending on where they are playing.
Since the beginning of the season they have been on the road waiting for Mutare City Council to improve Sakubva Stadium.
Speaking after watching his Manica Diamonds fall 0-1 to Highlanders FC at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday, Tapera said his side has been denied training time as a result of continuously being on the road.
Their next assignment is a game against Bulawayo Chiefs at Gibbo.
“You can imagine our home is Gibbo which is more than 320km from Mutare. When we travel here it’s close to 520km from Mutare, we are always on the road. It impacts a lot when you look at the amount of games we have to win. It’s really difficult.
“We are in a difficult situation. We need to think deeply and find how best we can address the challenge of fatigue. We are going back to Mutare on Monday. It means Tuesday we are not training. We will train on Wednesday then Friday we have to travel 320 km to Gibbo.
“The following weekend we will be travelling again for our away game. You can’t even correct the mistakes these players are making on the field. Right now we can only correct the wrongs through talking yet some of these things need to be done on the field,” said Tapera.
Manica Diamonds have not had a bad season to date. They are third on the league table with 26 points from 16 outings, eight behind table toppers Highlanders FC.
Tapera, one of the most experienced gaffers in the topflight league, has previously worked at FC Platinum, national Under-20 team, TelOne, Black Leopards in South Africa, Yadah and Triangle.
Some of the players in his team include experienced players Brett Amidu, Ralph Kawondera, Trevor Mavhunga, Donald Ngoma, Farai Banda and Panashe Mutasa.
Mutare City Council is reported to have spent nearly US$200 000 for the much awaited turf and drainage renovations as it works to upgrade Manicaland’s ceremonial home of football.
Removal of the old turf at Sakubva Stadium is now complete and the facility will soon be undergoing excavation works, removal of soil, engineering works of laying down of new drainage system, backfilling, compacting, laying down of new turf as well as maintenance and its nurturing until it’s usable.
-@innocentskizoe
Online Reporter