Mob harasses Moses Chunga

By Eddie Chikamhi in HARARE and Oscar Rusenga in TRIANGLE

Problems at Chiredzi FC could be far from over, despite the withdrawal of a court order by the club’s executive barring Moses Chunga’s involvement in the club’s business.

The former Zimbabwe international claims he was threatened and nearly manhandled by a group of hooligans who were acting on the instructions of one of the club’s committee members.

Chunga had visited the team’s training session hoping to resume his duties following the withdrawal of the court order.

Chiredzi have announced that they parted ways with Chunga and have since appointed Gishon Ntini to take over the reins, assisted by Tinashe Zishiri and goalkeeper’s coach Dzingai Murinye.

Chunga yesterday said he returned to the club’s training ground in his capacity as coach and club director but was met with threats of violence by Murinye who told him he was no longer welcome.

Interestingly, Murinye was co-opted in the technical department by Chunga and they had worked together to get the team off the ground early this year.

“Common knowledge says that the situation reverts to where things were before that court interdict and that is the reason I had gone to the training ground,” said Chunga.

“But I received threats of violence and there was a committee member who even sent hooligans to beat me up.

“I had to restrain myself to avoid a scene. I reported the issue to the police but I didn’t press any charges after receiving counselling from the officer-in-charge. But it still has to be known that my status at the club will not change.

“I stood with this team in order for it to be in the Premiership today. I am the one who co-opted all those guys into the structures but now it appears some people have grown power hungry and are going around tarnishing my image, mobilising MPs and many other people to gang up against me.

“We have engaged the PSL and they advised we should solve our issues on our own. But from the look of things, reconciliation with these guys is impossible, one side has to give way and definitely it will not be me.

“I will not stand aside, that’s when we will have to ask the question: what came first — the egg or the hen?” said Chunga.

Chiredzi chairman, Charles Muchatukwa, yesterday officially unveiled Ntini as the new coach.

Chunga, however, had no kind words for Ntini whom he accused of trying to manipulate the conflict for his benefit.

“I don’t get it when a person decides to jump into a situation he knows is full of conflicts and tries to portray himself as the saviour. Sometimes people tend to be small-minded, and it’s not healthy to them.

“He was talking about wholesale beefing up of the squad by the director who did all the player registrations, I know there is only one slot and five others, if we decide to de-register some players during the mid-season,” said Chunga.

Ntini is expected to take charge at the Lowveld side this weekend when they host Buffaloes at Chishamiso.

Speaking during a press conference, Muchatukwa said they parted ways with Chunga and have since continued playing under the caretaker coaches Tinashe Zishiri and Dzingai Murinye.

“We have since been in the hunt for a substantive coach, a coach with a vision and a strategy to take us forward because we want to start winning, starting with our next match against Buffaloes.

“To meet all those targets, we have decided that Ntini is the ideal candidate for the position.

“If you want urgent results you definitely need an experienced and focused coach and Ntini is the typical example of what we have been looking for.

“Experienced and focused coaches and players don’t come cheap but we had no choice but to go for Ntini and his troops.

“We can’t allow somebody to come from as far as Harare to claim ownership of a team which was openly handed over to the community of Chiredzi,” said Muchatukwa.

Ntini has indicated they need to boost the squad with around 12 players since a number of players who were loyal to Chunga have left the Lowveld.

Muchatukwa pleaded with the Chiredzi community and corporate world to help support the newly promoted side from its financial crisis since new players will need signing-on fees, accommodation and winning bonuses.

Ntini has a tough task ahead of him but the outspoken gaffer is confident of positive results.

“It’s a very big challenge to be tasked on a project like this. I like challenges and I am confident that I will deliver the goods. “I just want to thank Chiredzi for their trust in me and giving me the opportunity to prove myself as one of the best coaches around.

“I just ask the community to come and support our team starting with our home game at Chishamiso this weekend,” said Ntini. The Herald