Chigowe already planning ahead

By Eddie Chikamhi

After delivering on his mandate to help giants Dynamos survive relegation, caretaker coach Lloyd Chigowe is already looking into the future even before he has been guaranteed the job on a full-time basis.

Chigowe has been credited for strategising DeMbare’s survival this season after he took over the Harare giants when they were staring possible relegation following a disastrous season under Lloyd Mutasa.

But the club’s leadership are yet to sit and decide on the way forward concerning Chigowe and his assistant Murape Murape, who took the club on a fine run of three wins, one draw and one defeat which secured their safety.

And with nothing much to play for in the last two games against Mutare City and Nichrut, the former Young Warriors coach has opened up the space for a host of talented young players to challenge the seniors for places in the squad ahead of next season.

Dynamos, who have missed the title for the past five seasons, have indicated they need to beef up their squad and improve their competitive edge next year.

Chigowe indicated they have begun laying the foundation as he hopes to avoid recycling spent forces.

“For the greater part of my life, I have mixed competitive football with development and we have identified quite a number of youngsters.

“Today you have just seen only a glimpse of the youngsters that might be coming in and, whether I am given the job or not, we must recruit quality at Dynamos,” said Chigowe.

DeMbare will host Mutare City at Rufaro on Sunday. The former Young Warriors coach believes he has formed a good synergy with his prodigy Murape, whom he coached in junior football two decades ago.

“I am obviously satisfied that we have achieved our objective and I can sleep easy, without any pressure.

“Firstly, I would like to thank the board and the executive for having the trust in me at that critical juncture where it was sink or swim. It means there was a lot of faith for them to give me the mandate to try and save the team. I would want to appreciate the support I received from my mates in the technical team, including my son and assistant Murape Murape.

“I would also want to appreciate the response we got from the boys when we demanded that we must win at all costs.

“I have coached Murape from a young age. I am the one who coached him in the provincial squad in the Under-17, I am the one who took him to the Under-17 national team and was part of the squad that I qualified with together under Steve Kwashi for the first Africa Youth Championship in 1997.

“So to me he is like my son. I hear some people saying Murape is the de facto coach at Dynamos, but no, that’s not it. When I am working with him, I am also developing him as a coach.

“I have a lot of trust in him, I give the instruction to stand up and bark instructions on the touchline whilst I analyse the game. To me there is nothing out of order. It is out of trust, I have faith in him that he is going to develop into a good coach,” said Chigowe.

But the sad news for Dynamos was that Valentine Kadonzvo’s season has come to a premature end because of a shoulder injury that ruled him out of the last two games against Mutare and Nichrut.

Kadonzvo, who had hit top form late in the campaign, was hurt during the Chibuku Super Cup semi-final clash against Triangle three weeks ago.

Striker Quality Kangadze is also nursing a knock and will not be able to face Mutare City this weekend, while Cleopas Kapupurika and Blessing Moyo will be assessed today.

Fixtures

Saturday

FC Platinum v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Mandava), Herentals v Chicken Inn (NSS), Bulawayo City v CAPS United (Barbourfields), Harare City v ZPC Kariba (Rufaro)

Sunday

Bulawayo Chiefs v Highlanders (Barbourfields), Dynamos v Mutare City Rovers (Rufaro), Triangle United v Nichrut (Gibbo), Black Rhinos v Shabanie Mine (NSS), Chapungu v Yadah (Ascot). The Herald