The coach, whose side tasted humiliating back-to-back defeats at the hands of FC Platinum in the past two weeks with the first one having been at a 6-0 margin, said the green machine could as well start focussing on next season.
“I think we no longer have a chance. We just have to fight and ensure we finish on a respectable position, but we can’t still be talking of the championship. It’s now over for us,” said Mangwiro after his side’s latest loss to the platinum at Mandava Stadium on Saturday.
The result saw the green machine crumble out of the Chibuku Super Cup that has been bankrolled to the tune of $500,000.
Caps started the campaign on the right track but lost it when the players embarked on a campaign to be paid their outstanding dues. They at one time threatened to boycott matches and their midfielder Hardlife Zvirekwi had to stay back in Harare ahead of their clash with Gweru based airmen, Chapungu, over the same issue and that resulted in the former Cup kings crumbling to a humiliating 0-3 hammering.
Only four points separate them from log leaders Dynamos who have amassed 42 points in the 22 matches played and there are still eight to go, but still Mangwiro believed they just had to throw in the towel in order to ease pressure on the players.
His words are however, contrary to the views of Dynamos coach Calisto Pasuwa, who this week said although the Glamour Boys were on top of the 16-team pack, they were still far from grabbing their fourth straight championship.
“We just have to take every game as it comes. What we have succeeded to do is avoid relegation but if we are not careful, we could end up on position 10 because the contest is still stiff,” said Pasuwa.
Meanwhile, league action resumes this weekend after a two-week break, with DeMbare travelling to Zvishavane for a date with FC Platinum.
Highlanders date Harare City with a view to piling on pressure to claim the top spot while ZPC Kariba, the team with the least number of defeats (2) so far, take on Black Rhinos.
Chapungu will be away to Hwange while the Green Machine host How Mine. Bantu Rovers and Chicken Inn are in for a Bulawayo derby, with relegation-threatened sides Shabanie Mine and Chiredzi facing-off at Chishamiso stadium in the lowveld.
Post published in: Football