Mangwiro calls for unity at Caps United

By Don Makanyanga

CAPS United gaffer Taurai Mangwiro has appealed to the CAPS United family to have a unity of purpose as the Harare giants bid to end a nine-year league title drought.

The Green Machine brought themselves back into contention for the league title last Sunday when they beat Chicken Inn 1-0 at the National Sports Stadium in Harare courtesy of a Kenneth Bulaji goal.

And with the leading teams in the league, Highlanders, ZPC Kariba and defending champions Dynamos all slipping up at the weekend, Makepekepe’s victory meant Mangwiro’s men brought themselves to within two points of top spot.

CAPS United are currently fourth on the log with 30 points from 17 games, just two points off log leaders and 2006 champions Highlanders and one behind the duo of ZPC Kariba and Dynamos who occupy second and third respectively.

With a potential six points in the offing inside a four-day period (CAPS United face Hwange on Thursday and Chiredzi FC on Sunday), Mangwiro is keen to avoid problems of the past which have often disrupted the Green Machine’s campaign.

Over the years, the Green Machine faithful have had a love-hate relationship with the team’s players and coaches, especially when the team is not performing well.

The situation has been particularly unpleasant for Mangwiro, a former Dynamos player, as he has often had to deal with allegations of being the proverbial ‘snake in the grass’ who pretends to be trying to lead the team to glory yet behind the scenes, he is working for the enemy and trying to destroy the club from within.

The players’ too, have not been spared the ire of the success starved CAPS United fans.

But after watching his troops pull off a victory against a well-drilled Chicken Inn side on Sunday, Mangwiro, who insists on the importance of the 12th man, called on the club to live true to their name and be ‘united’ as one entity and work towards one goal – winning a first league title since 2005.

“What they (fans) subject these players to is what sometimes gives them unnecessary pressure such that they eventually fail to perform. They need the support of the fans and if one is to look at (Kenneth) Bulaji, he was the hero against Chicken Inn and motivating him should not be my job alone, but also the fans,” he said.

“We are very much in the race and if the fans feel it’s going to be CAPS United’s year this year, let us be united and take this challenge (title race) head on. But the fans have to understand it’s not going to be easy. The fact is that it can only be done when we are a united team.”

CAPS United face a long trip to Hwange where they are up against the Nation Dube-coached side on Thursday and with the Green Machine enjoying a purple patch on home soil, Mangwiro believes his charges have to improve their record on the road.

For the former Monomotapa mentor, winning at difficult venues such as Hwange is key to Makepekepe’s title aspirations.

“We want to keep in touch with the leading pack as much as possible. We are not going to dwell on the Chicken Inn win because the league is like a war which has battles time and again and we won a battle (against the Gamecocks) and last week lost another, but we continue to focus on winning the next battles until the end,” said Mangwiro.

“We have Hwange coming on Thursday and it is one game that we have to get three points from. We have been saying this since the first half of the season that we have not been doing very well on the road and this game gives us a chance to improve upon that record.” The Zimbabwe Mail