Oscar Rusenga in Chiredzi
NEW Greenfuel head coach Saul Chaminuka has hit the ground running as he headed straight to the Greenfuel Arena soon after signing his contract and was hard at work as he focuses on a challenging fixture against Manica Diamonds on Sunday.
Chaminuka was at Sakubva with Bikita Minerals last Sunday losing 1-0 to the hosts as the Gem Boys registered a win to claim top spot in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer league standings and Chaminuka will have another chance to stop the run away leaders.
“I have started work already at my new home with mixed emotions. First I am sad because I have left a team that I prepared, I took longer than necessary because I really wanted to continue with my project but I had to make a decision. I think I had grouped a rare breed of players who were ready to die for me under difficult conditions and I dont want to talk much about Bikita.
“Secondly, I am obviously happy with the welcome I got here at Greenfuel, it’s my new home now. They are an organised and ambitious side, I have opened a new page and I need to turn around, focus on the new job at hand.
“After watching the quality of my new players for the first time, I have am very positive that we are going to move upwards. I think I saw who they really are and as they say, first impressions are long lasting, I believe I am knowledgeable enough to continue developing and improving the team,” he said.
Chaminuka is aware of the challenge ahead of him on Sunday and he said his team will make history and if they don’t he will make history himself albeit for negative reasons.
“We are on the road this weekend to a familiar territorry. Sakubva Stadium was my home with Bikita Minerals, last Sunday I played there against Manica and lost one nil but this is a different game. It’s another local derby and bragging rights will be at stake.
“With my knowledge and experience, I will help prepare the team that will compete. The boys need to be at their best and work even harder to stop Manica Diamonds’ fine run and write our own history. Anything less than that will mean I will be the first coach to lose two games in a row against the same side with two different teams, there is a lot to play for,” said Chaminuka.
Manica Diamonds coach Jairos Tapera who had a disastrous start this season with two defeats and a draw in his opening three fixtures have turned things around with straight wins and was voted the best coach for the month of April and will welcome Chaminuka at Sakubva this weekend ready to stretch his winning streak.”We are going to play our normal game and continue doing what we have been doing since the start of the season.
We will take it like any other game, there is nothing special. Of course it’s a Manicaland derby and bragging rights are at stake but to us we don’t treat it differently.
“Greenfuel have two big coaches with a lot of experience and last Sunday one (Taurai Mangwiro) was on the terraces watching us play and taking notes while Saul was actively involved when we played Bikita Minerals. It’s up to them to win it, there is nothing for them to fear and it’s going to be a very interesting affair.
“We haven’t had a privilege to watch them play and that’s an advantage to them because they can unleash their secret weapons but we are ready for the challenge,” said Tapera.
