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Rahman Gumbo

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
RAHMAN ‘Rush’ Gumbo has dumped ambitious Zifa Southern Region Division One side Makomo after clinching a lucrative post with equally ambitious South African National First Division side Witbank Spurs.

While the Warriors’ assistant gaffer could not be reached, Witbank Spurs chief executive officer Freddy Mapulane was quoted in the South African media confirming the appointment of the Highlanders legend.

“Our new coach is Raham Gumbo. He is Zimbabwe national team assistant coach. The other one Caleb Ngwenya is no longer available. I think he got a better offer somewhere so we had to search for a replacement because our aim is to start the pre-season with a coach,” Mapulane told football website KickOff.

“If you can check his (Gumbo) success with Sunday Chidzambwa in the Zimbabwean team since they took over, it shows that they brought something different. His record speaks for itself because he has worked all over Africa and wherever he went he was winning championships. So we thought that he might bring luck to us as well for us to achieve something this season with the experience he has got as well.

“We finalised everything because last week we couldn’t agree on terms somewhere. But we finalised and made the decision,” Mapulane said.

Gumbo has won numerous accolades in Malawi, Botswana and Zimbabwe. Before his latest appointment, he was being linked with a move to struggling Harare giants Dynamos.

“He has always wanted to coach in South Africa and when Witbank came knocking he quickly took up the offer. It must be noted that he was on a healthy cheque at Makomo, probably better than most Premiership coaches on the domestic scene but he couldn’t let the opportunity of coaching in SA elude him,” said a friend close to the 54-year-old Gumbo.