Is ‘coach based’ recruitment model the best?

Fungai Muderere, Senior Sports Reporter

IT is often said that a prolific hunter always trusts his dogs whenever going into the bush hunting for prey.

Football, the world’s most followed sport, is no different from hunting. Coaches are the hunters, players are the hunting dogs and opponents are the prey.

The football industry has a culture of high employer turnover, especially in relation to players, head coaches, management executives and backroom-staff. Such is the life of the beautiful game, a game that has divided scholarly ink into several camps with one base suggesting that, it is a unique industry-level feedback loop constructed through instant metrics on job performance, resulting in negative financial and playing consequences (Bridgewater, 2010; Kelly, 2017; Nissen, 2014; Parnell et al., 2018).

Back to local football let’s take a look at how some teams have been busy on the market and who influences the comings and goings of players.  uestions: Are the clubs recruiting based on their philosophy or is it a case of the hunter (coach) telling club executives which hunting dogs (players) to bring on board.

With a number of local football outfits using the “coach based” recruitment model and not a club-based model, we at Sunday Leisure wonder, is this sustainable?
For starters, let’s talk about Castle Lager Premier Soccer League new boys, Simba Bhora, who are now under the guidance of ex-Dynamos and Ngezi Platinum Stars coach, Tonderai Ndiraya.

With Ndiraya, ex-DeMbare captain Partson Jaure has tagged along after the pair also enjoyed working days together at Ngezi Platinum Stars. Ndiraya embarked on a mass clear out that has seen more than 10 players leaving the Shamva based club.

Simba Bhora did not only go after DeMbare players, they also went after the executive. Former Dynamos chairman Isaiah Mupfurutsa is now head honcho at Simba Bhora.
Other new boys, Green Fuel, now under the tutelage of Lloyd Mutasa with the assistance of ex-Highlanders captain Bekithemba Ndlovu have gone for 17 new signings. They brought in the ex-Bosso trio of Honest Moyo, Bukhosi “Zakhu” Sibanda and MacClive Phiri.

While Jairos Tapera has gone with Donald Ngoma from Triangle to Manica Diamonds to make a total of 11 new signings, William Stima, a former Tsholotsho FC and FC Platinum defender, now finds himself with his former coach at the above mentioned two clubs, Lizwe Sweswe at Bulawayo Chiefs.

Chiefs are smarting or are still to recover from a massive negative financial challenges that saw them part ways with Moyo twins Elvis and Kevin, Arthur “Diego” Musiyiwa with others still wanting out. The likes of Malvin Mkolo, Obriel Chirinda and Kelvin Madzongwe are still contracted to Amakhosi Amahle but are exploring ways of walking out of the Twitter Kings.

Nomadic star midfielder Denver Mukamba was on Friday expected to complete his return to Dynamos after spending a week training with DeMbare and reunite with club’s new head coach Herbert “Jompano” Maruwa whom they once worked together at the Glamour Boys and at ex-premiership side Chapungu.

Dynamos are currently beefing up their squad ahead of the 2023 season. They have since roped in striker Nyasha Chintuli on a season’s loan deal from Tenax and Soccer Star of the Year finalist, Eli Ilunga from Black Rhinos.

The Glamour Boys, who announced they were parting ways with 13 players earlier this month, have since signed 23-year-old winger Keith Madera, Musiyiwa, Tendai Matindife, Emmanuel Ziocha, Tanaka Shandirwa and twins Elvis and Kevin.
DeMbare have also been linked with the Highlanders midfield duo of Devine Mhindirira and Adrian

Silla who are yet to join the Bosso pre-season training. Dynamos supporters, however, are divided on the prospects of Mukamba’s return, considering his disciplinary record.
How about the risk? How about turnover versus squad market value? Do players follow a club’s philosophy or do they simply dance to their favourite coach whom they follow wherever he goes? For instance, will Jaure be safe when one day Ndiraya loses his job at Simba Bhora? Will Moyo, Zakhu and Phiri be safe when Ndlovu is shown the exit at Green Fuel?

Answer: History has taught footballers all over the world a great lesson for we have seen Manchester City great coach Pep Guardiola and the team’s ex star player Yaya Toure having a long history of not getting along when one makes a switch only to find each other at a same outfit, months or years after.
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