The first half of 2013 should go down the history books for the number of hired and fired coaches, as a number of clubs press panic batons in their bid to either stay afloat or widen their chances of clinching the league title.
Just 10 weeks into the season, Beitbridge-based newcomers, Tripple B, have shown the exit door to coach Friday Phiri, after he failed to find the winning formularat the log anchors.
This was after Phiri registered successive defeats when the relegation threatened side camped in Zvishavane for three weeks, where they played against Dynamos, Highlanders and FC Platinum and returned empty-handed. They remained with 10 points in 13 matches, at the time of going to print.
Last week, Buffaloes’ Soul Chaminuka voluntarily left the army side under pressure from the club’s impatient executive, which had reportedly set very high targets for him. Sources close to the goings on at Shabanie FC revealed over the weekend that the Chinda Boys’ nomadic coach, Luke Masomere was also en route to Mutare, where he would join Buffaloes.
Masomere has publicly denied the move. “I can confirm that he is about to wrap up negotiations with Buffaloes. He is certainly going,” said a source in the asbestos-mining town. According to the same sources, former Warriors defender, John Phiri was tipped to take over once Masomere leaves.
At FC Platinum, Zambian-born Tenant Chilumba is said to have been given a three-match ultimatum to bring results or ship-out of the platinum miners, who at the beginning of the season exhibited fine form and declared they had stamina to clinch the title.
They have in the recent weeks been on a free-fall and now occupy a distant fifth position on the log, after they were at summit in the opening eight weeks. “I am not under any pressure at all and our next games will see us record victories. We will bounce back,” said Chilumba.
Post published in: Football