HARARE Zimbabwean football Coach of the Year Moses "Bambo" Chunga has dedicated his award to his family which he said gave him full support to realise his dream of reaching The Promised Land. “I would like to thank my family, especially my wife who helped me a lot to realise this dream. It was a long journey but with the support I got from my family I finally realised my dream, said Chunga as he collected his award last week. I am happy to win this award. I also want to thank Gunners chairman Cuthbert Chitima for throwing his weight behind me all the time. He gave me a lot of hope. I also want to thank members of my technical department and the whole team for their efforts.”
Chunga was recognised for his role in leading modest Harare side Gunners to their first ever league title since they burst into the topflight league two years ago when he was named the Coach of the Year during the awards ceremony on Thursday night. The enigmatic coach walked away with US$2 000. The former Zimbabwe senior soccer team captain and Dynamos midfielder also won his maiden league title when he led Gunners to the Premiership crown this year. He had not won any major silverware since he started his coaching career a decade ago.
The nomadic Chunga who has coached such clubs like Black Aces, Hackney, Arcadia United, Black Rhinos, Shabanie Mine, Dynamos, CAPS United and Shooting Stars was known better for saving teams from relegation than a championship winning coach. But this year he finally laid his hands on his first major silverware in his coaching career. Asked why it had taken him almost 10 years to win the league title, Chunga last month said with an air of arrogance around him, “I was asking for oranges to make orange juice but they gave me lemons. How can lemons make orange juice?” he remarked.
Chunga, who won the Soccer Star of the Year award in 1987 became the second coach in the domestic league to win the Coach of the Year Award and also the Soccer Star of the Year Award. Former Dynamos coach David “Yogi” Mandigora who was Soccer Star of the Year in 1980 also won the Coach of the Year crown in 2007 when he led Dynamos to the championship. Seasoned Bulawayo referee Thabani Mkantjo won the 2009 Referee of the Year Award after edging Kenny Marange in a close race.
Post published in: Football