HARARE – The Zimbabwean football family including retired and active administrators, current and former players as well as supporters, gathered at Zororo Memorial Park in Harare on Monday to pay their last respects to the legendary coach educator Nelson Matongorere.
The coaching guru, who was serving as CAPS United’s technical director and assistant coach, died at a private clinic in Harare last week Wednesday.
The ex-Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) technical director, succumbed to a stroke suffered last month (April).
Matongorere will be remembered for a number contributions in football both in Zimbabwe and the region.
In Zimbabwe he is credited for playing a huge role in the growth of Women’s football in the country.
Matongorere who once led the Young Warriors in the U-20s and U-23s, is also applauded for grooming a number of top Zimbabwean coaches.
These include former Warriors coaches Kalisto Pasuwa, Norman Mapeza, Lloyd Chitembwe, Taurai Mangwiro and recently appointed interim Warriors head coach Jairos Tapera and his assistant Takesure Chiragwi.
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele told mourners that the nation has lost a top coach’s instructor, a mentor and a teacher who will be hard to replace.
Former Warriors technical director Wilson Mutekede described his mentor as a “true mentor and a big hearted man who was everything in terms of laying the foundation of coach education in the country and region.”
The former Mighty Warriors coach and currently a ZIFA NC member Rosemary Mugadza said: “It’s a sad chapter for Zimbabwe to lose a man who had all the knowledge about our football.
“We have lost a coach, mentor, teacher, father and somebody who nurtured so many people in terms of coaching and playing football. Being one of his products from Level One to Caf B licence and now a Caf instructor, it was all because of him.
“He was humble and had so much love to give to each and everyone. I’m proud and happy that God gave me an opportunity to meet him and made me who I am today.”
