The Sunday News
Noel Munzabwa
PROMOTION winning coaches in the Southern and Central Region first divisions, Thulani “Thuts” Sibanda of Bulawayo Chiefs and Nichrut FC’s John Nyikadzino scored individual record milestones during the just ended season.
While in the Southern Region first division we have had a coach who has secured promotion three times in the late Lindile Dube, in joining that hat-trick this past season, Bulawayo Chiefs’ Sibanda who became the first ever coach to win it twice with the same team.
The late Dube’s hat-trick of titles had been reached with three different teams Railstars (2003), Zimbabwe Saints (2005) and Underhill (2007) with Sibanda his first two coming from Quelaton (2011), Bulawayo Chiefs — then Plumtree Chiefs (2013) before adding the 2017 title.
Sibanda peeled himself off the brace title holders from Philani “Beefy” Ncube, now Harare City coach who won it with Chicken Inn (2010) and Bulawayo City in 2015.
The title cemented Bulawayo’s dominance in the league that also has Matabeleland North.
In the Central Region Nyikadzino’s script will read: Dumped by Chapungu, turned down Bantu Rovers January advances, only to win the record second Central Soccer League title with a new points record, this is the proverbial Phoenix rising after giving Shurugwi the first ever premiership with Nichrut FC.
It is not that easy, not a stroll in the park at all, for a highly qualified soccer coach to turn down a premiership job for a second tier league given the elite marketing opportunities, unless maybe that coach has a point to prove.
Monday, 16 January 2017, would leave one Wilbert Sibanda dumb founded and probably contemplating a referral for Nyikadzino to a health institution after a trip to Bulawayo for contract conclusion landed the coach in Shurugwi.
An appointment at the instigation and recommendation of Methembe “Mayor” Ndlovu, then globe-trotting on a football course in Europe had flopped leaving Sibanda devastated and probably at loss of how to explain it to Mayor.
He let it all go and Bantu Rovers lost out to Nichrut and those close to this highly kept secret, including this writer, awaited Nyikadzino’s reasons and when that came through it bought sympathy or maybe to an extent empathy as well.
The acrimonious exit from Chapungu, the club he had known and called home for close to two decades developing probably the best ever juniors crop that shined even in junior national teams had left him with a point to prove right at the doorstep.
And that he had to evade the embarrassment of getting fired by literally holding the gun by the barrel with his counter resignation letter instilled inspiration in him to go back to the foundation and correct flaws in the foundation core and for him Nichrut was his chosen platform.
“Look, it pains me that I have to break the heart of Mayor who had faith in me and even my brother Wilbert who had offered the job to me but I hope they will understand that I still have a point to prove right here in the Midlands.
“I am not bitter at anyone but I just want to prove that I am not that a bad coach as people were made to believe and I feel Nichrut provides me with a platform for me to go back to the basics and start afresh from the bottom. Hopefully one day Mayor will understand my decision,” said Nyikadzino.
And what would have been a story died as the move to Bulawayo had stalled only for this to wait until this day to sneak in and see light and people understand him as a man who was on a mission.
Nonetheless, the rise from the literal Phoenix ashes could not be much more sweeter than the three records scored in a just ended season. On an individual front he became only the first coach to bag two Central Soccer League titles in the league’s eight season old history.
The points amassed — 76 — became the new second highest tally to Chapungu’s 77 in 2013 where Nyikadzino was in charge and geographically Shurugwi became only the fourth town to taste the CSL cherry enjoyed thrice by Gweru (Hardbody, Whawha and Chapungu), twice by Zvishavane (FC Platinum and Shabanie Mine) and Beitbridge (Tripple B and Border Strikers).
In the history of the scenic Midlands Province mine rich town, blessed with the eye catching Boterekwa, the dawn of the silver jubilee celebrating premiership has kissed the town rich with scintillating football products (players and coaches) for the first time.
Thus Shurugwi, if a proper standard meeting stadium is made available, will add a town more to the list of geographical cities and towns to host premiership action.
Southern Region winning coaches since 2003
2003 – Lindile Dube Railstars
2004 – Benjamin Moyo Chapungu
2005 – Lindile Dube Zimbabwe Saints
2006 – Joe Mhizha Njube Sundowns
2007 – Lindile Dube Underhill
2008 – Nation Dube Hwange
2009 – John Phiri Shabanie Mine
2010 – Philani Ncube Chicken Inn
2011 – Thulani Sibanda Quelaton
2012 – Usheunesu Chaka How Mine
2013 – Thulani Sibanda Plumtree
Chiefs
2014 – Lizwe Sweswe Tsholotsho FC
2015 – Philani Ncube Bulawayo City
2016 – Johannes Ngozo Bantu Rovers
2017 – Thulani Sibanda Bulawayo
Chiefs
Central Soccer League championship winning coaches since formation
2010 – Jairos Tapera FC Platinum
(then Mimosa)
2011 – Tavaka Gumbo Hardbody
2012 – Friday Phiri Tripple B
2013 – John Nyikadzino Chapungu
2014 – Luke Petros Jukulule Whawha
FC
2015 – Never Malunga Border Strikers
2016 – Tendai Chikuni Shabanie
Mine
2017 – John Nyikadzino Nichrut FC
