Moses Chinga is a bitter man

MOSES Chunga is a bitter man.

He says he was chucked out of Chiredzi Football Club project that he sacrificed a lot for and he even relocated his family to the Lowveld in a bid to concentrate fully on developing football in the sugarcane town.

The outspoken gaffer was handed a court interdict not to interfere with the operations of the team recently after a fallout with the club's executive over a number of issues.

The two parties were set to fight their wars in court mainly over the ownership of the team, but the Chiredzi FC executive, which is now firmly in control of the team, withdrew the case on Monday on the directive of the Premier Soccer League management.

The Lowveld-based side has since appointed Gishon Ntini as their new head coach. Chunga says he is talking to his lawyer Wellington Muzenda of Muzenda and Chitsama about his departure.

"I am going to decide on my next move with my lawyer Wellington Muzenda. At the moment l don't want to comment on many issues.

"I have made a lot of sacrifices coming all the way from Harare to develop football here and then you take away that human resource. What does it mean? Anyway have you approached the authorities in Chiredzi over the matter?" he said.

"Surely you have manpower that has experience and is sacrificing for the cause of developing football and then you take him away. Remember l fought for this franchise and no one supported me and l even relocated my family," he said.

Charles Muchatukwa is the chairman of the club and throughout the saga, he has chosen to be a silent operator, leaving Chunga, who is registered as a team director, to do the talking.

When Chunga joined the now defunct former Eastern Region Division One Football side Hippo Valley last season he told this publication that his major project was to develop football in the Lowveld.

He was hoping to convert Chiredzi township into a major conveyer belt of junior football in the country and he deservedly led Hippo Valley into the top-flight league last season.

But the celebrations were short-lived after their principal sponsors Tongaat Hulett disbanded the team as they already had Triangle in the top flight. They then handed over the team to the Chiredzi community.

But as expected, the team suffered from lack of sponsorships and Chunga was at one time accused of taking $4 000 for personal use from gate-takings after a match against Dynamos.

Chunga said he used the money for the upkeep of players who were struggling to make ends meet.

He later quit the team after a heated meeting with the club's executive before making a U-turn, but was later fired for poor results, insubordination and running parallel structures.

His replacement, Ntini, who also saw red at Triangle for failing to zip his mouth, has wasted not time in laying out plans for the team as they approach the final 15 games.

Ntini says he is looking for 10 experienced players to salvage Chiredzi's season as they kick off the second half of the season against Buffaloes at Chishamiso on Sunday.

Five of those players will come from Triangle after they were off-loaded last week by coach Biggie Zuze – David Sengu, Ronald Maketo, Muchineripi Muneri, Tatenda Kanyemba and Terrence Ganyata.

They will join ex-ZPC Kariba players and brothers Pardon Chinungwa and Norman Togara, striker Tawanda Muyendi and leftback Talent Mhondwa.

"We have talented youngsters at the club and I realised that the team does not have the much-needed experience that is why l am trying bring in at least 13 new players with vast experience," he said.

"We now need experience in the squad because the second half of the season is tough and congested. Definitely we are going to keep the youngsters at the club so that they can also gain experience.

"The experience issue was the major thing I was looking at when l joined the team. We also trying to introduce a new system that will bring the desired results for the team," he added.

Ntini will be assisted by Hippo Valley schoolteacher Tinashe Zvishiri and Dzingai Murinye.