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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS’ appointment of goalkeepers’ coach Tembo Chuma was not an accidental appointment but was as a result of careful analysis of the club’s needs which has borne the fruits of having Ariel Sibanda among the country’s Soccer Stars of the Year selected last Thursday.

Chuma, one of the most underrated but highly qualified goalkeepers’ trainers in the country, has produced four Goalkeepers of the Year since 2012.

Sibanda was the 2012 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Goalkeeper of the Year and the following season, the accolade went to Munyaradzi Diya also under Chuma before he was unceremoniously chucked out of the Bosso structures.

He however proved his mettle when he produced the 2014 Goalkeeper of the Year in Tendai Hove of ZPC Kariba.

“When we set out on this phase of the club’s regenerative project it was clear that the personnel we needed must suit the desire. Like Madinda Ndlovu, Chuma was not an accidental appointment but a result of careful analysis of the club’s needs. The club is delighted by the input the technical team leadership has made and like the improvement that we have seen in the performance of the outfield players, the goalkeeping area has grown too. This is no mean achievement for the goalkeeper and his coaches. We are proud to yet again be represented in the 11 finalists and can only look forward to added growth and desire in 2019,” said the Highlanders chief executive officer Nhlanhla Dube.

On his way to winning the award in 2014, Diya had also been named the Mbada Diamonds Cup Goalkeeper and Player of the Tournament as Bosso lifted the cup courtesy of a 3-0 win over How Mine.

Born in the coal mining town of Hwange, Chuma a former Hwange High School pupil, started his career with Chipangano before moving to Lulu Rovers and Rio Tinto and later on Kango in Bulawayo where he stayed for four years.

He then left for the capital to join Black Rhinos in 1998 but stayed only a season as he then packed his bags for Masvingo FC where he won a number of accolades which include the Zifa Unity Cup in 2002, OK Woza Bhora in 2005, Zifa Unity Cup in 2005 and the Independence Trophy in 2006.

He joined Highlanders as a goalkeepers’ coach in 2011 in a technical set up that was headed by Zambian, Kelvin Kaindu.

He has made cameo duties in the national team.