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Joey Antipas

Grace Chingoma Harare Bureau—
CHICKEN Inn coach Joey Antipas says he has been offered a lucrative deal by former South African Premiership side AmaZulu and is ready to make a huge step in his career and join the Durban-based side in August. Antipas, who guided the modest club to their first championship title last season, appears to be reaping rewards from that feat after AmaZulu offered him a good package with the two parties set to seal the deal this week once they put pen to paper.

Yesterday, Antipas confirmed that he has been in talks with the South Africa second-tier club and the deal is as good as done. “We’ve been in talks and I would say the talks have been fruitful but we’re still to get to another level and that’s to put pen to paper and I’m expecting to do that some time this week.

“But we’ve agreed on personal terms and it’s a lucrative package that I couldn’t resist,” said Antipas. The former Motor Action mentor, who is expected to travel to South Africa with his trusted lieutenant Prince Matore, said it would be sad to leave his Chicken Inn project at a time they were trying to defend their title.

But he feels it is high time he makes another bold move in his career. “Once doors start to open, one has to go through. I’ve been coaching here (in Zimbabwe) for a long time and maybe it’s time to get into uncharted waters.

“Chicken Inn have given me the blessing to go ahead,” said Antipas. His work is cut out for him at the Durban-based side which is home to former Warriors goalkeeper Energy Murambadoro.

AmaZulu are itching for a return to the top-flight after failing in that bid this season. The club recently parted ways with coach Steve Barker after he failed to get the team an immediate promotion back to the Absa Premiership following their relegation in the previous season.

AmaZulu, who are currently ninth in the National First Division League, then decided to look beyond the country’s borders and have settled for the unassuming but vastly experienced Antipas who has previously won the Castle Lager Premiership championship here with the now-defunct Motor Action.

A former Warriors assistant coach, Antipas has also charmed the local football family with the way he has transformed the Gamecocks into a competitive outfit that gave a strong fight against Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa on their maiden dance in the Champions League competition this year.

Antipas has been quietly building on his capacity by constantly going for refresher courses in Europe since 2012 where he kept abreast with modern trends before he announced his arrival last season when he won his second league title in Zimbabwe.

If he moves to South Africa, Antipas may join a list of local coaches who had or are having coaching stints with different clubs in that country. Former footballers such as the Mugeyi twins, Wilfred and William, Shepherd Murape, Ian Gorowa, Tendai Tanyanyiwa, George Nechironga and Kaitano Tembo have been involved in coaching in South Africa.

Phillip Mbofana and Steve “Biko” Phiri have had stints in South Africa. Nechironga is, however, now back home in Zimbabwe and is currently looking for a team to coach. Chicken Inn chairman, Lifa Ncube, yesterday said they will issue a press statement on the way forward.

But our Harare Bureau can reveal that Chicken Inn are targeting either Warriors mentor Callisto Pasuwa or former Bosso gaffer Madinda Ndlovu for the job.