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Tendai Chikuni

Lovemore Zigara in Gweru
CHAPUNGU have reportedly fired coach Tendai Chikuni following their 0-1 loss to Nichrut on Saturday.

The airmen have won just twice in 10 games they have played so far and are third from the bottom of the league table with eight points.

Chapungu public relations officer Tawanda Zowa could neither confirm nor deny Chikuni’s sacking, saying he was out of town on work business before referring questions to the club chairman Doubt Ncube.

Ncube declined to comment on the phone, promising to provide a written response by 3pm, but had not done so by the close of business.

“I cannot speak to you over the phone lest I be misquoted, but I will bring a written response to your offices after an hour,” said Ncube before terminating the call.

However, highly placed sources within the Chapungu camp said Chikuni was fired soon after the match and Rodwell Dhlakama, who was unveiled as technical manager last week, was expected to take over the reins.

“Soon after the game against Nichrut, the executive met and all the members present were in agreement that his three-year contract be terminated and he was informed about his fate at the stadium,” a source said.

“There has been pressure on the executive by senior officers in Harare to have Chikuni fired, but the executive had been divided with some wanting him to stay put as he did not have enough preparations since the core of the team went for military training during the off-season break leaving him with little time to prepare when they returned.”

He said after a spate of poor results, the Chapungu executive had given Chikuni four games to pick up at least seven points. However, the former Shabanie Mine gaffer only managed four points after Chapungu drew 0-0 against Black Rhinos before managing a 1-0 win over Herentals. This was followed by back-to-back defeats to Triangle (1–3) and Dynamos (1–2), resulting in the executive roping in Dhlakama.

“Plans were already in motion to push out Chikuni and the coming in of Dhlakama was confirmation that he was the preferred successor as he has blessings of the Air Force of Zimbabwe top brass in Harare,” said the source.

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