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Tennant Chilumba

Paul Mundandi in Zvishavane
Tennant Chilumba the former FC Platinum coach who resigned from the flamboyant Zvishavane side is leaving a happy man.
“I am not leaving the team doing badly but they are safe from relegation and are doing well with bright chances of lifting the championship though I feel sad to part away with people I have been working with on a daily basis.
“I got a lucrative offer from Power Dynamos and going back to Zambia is a big advantage to me after learning a lot from Zimbabwean football which is the best in the southern region. I am leaving my friends but I will remain part of Hwange and FC Platinum family,” said a tearful Chilumba.

The Zambian shocked the football fratenity when he resigned after getting an offer from his former team who have three players in the Zambian national team namely Mukuka Mulenga, Kennedy Mudenda all midfielders and Joshua Titima who is the reserve goalkeeper.

The team is sponsored by CSE (Copperbelt Energy Company) and they are the league defending champions but are on sixth position in the current season.

Chilumba had started the season on a very high note but the defeats against rivals Shabanie Mine (away) Hwange (home) Caps United (away) and the draws against Highlanders (home) Harare City (home) Monomotapa (away), saw a section of the fans calling for his head but the executive stood with him.

As an experienced coach who plied his trade in Belgium and South Africa before retiring, he could have seen it coming and thought of parting ways with the club a thing which he also did last season when he was in charge of the coalminers.

Chilumba had a good working relationship with his players and when it was announced that he was no longer part of the FC Platinum family, Nelson Maziwisa, Allan Gahadzikwa, Ali Sadiki and Allan Gahadzikwa, could not hold back their tears.

The situation resembled a funeral but yesterday Tendai Chikuni, who was appointed interim coach, seemed to have psyched the players as they were in a happy mood at training.

“I had a good working relationship with the players as I had cultivated team spirit and I had no tribe, foreigner and that is why the boys cried. It was sad to depart but after a few days, they will cope although some will live with it but life should continue after me.

“My wish is to see them lifting the league or some silverware and then to see a number of them joining the big leagues after winning the championship,” said Chilumba.

Upon his arrival, Chilumba had made it no secret that he wanted to win silverware with the club which he said was very professional.
He however, has left before fulfilling his wish and he openly indicated that if he settles well at his former base, he would not hesitate to call his backroom staff.

Chilumba won the league in 1995 with Power Dynamos, who have a fierce rival with Nkana Red Devils in the small town of Kitwe.
Chilumba lost to Hwange and Shabanie while Chikuni was in charge. After the departure of Rahman Gumbo, he never lost a match to the two mining teams. In his first match in charge, Chikuni lifted the Bob ’89 Super Cup after beating the coalminers in the final at Rufaro in February last season and ironically Chilumba was in charge of Hwange.

Meanwhile, a number of fans have been calling for Lloyd Chitembwe to come and replace the Zambian coach.
Mathembe Ndlovu and former Black Leopards and Zimbabwe national team coach Sunday Marimo are the other favourites although the club initially wanted the services of gifted coach Norman Mapeza. Mapeza still has contractual obligations with the Zimbabwe soccer controlling board, Zifa.

John Phiri has also been tipped to take over as he once worked with the U-19 team. Masomere, who signed a contract with Shabanie, has also  been mentioned in the race for the most paying coaching job in the local premiership.

Sources say the new coach might be unveiled during the window period.
Chitembwe has been trailed by various clubs among them Tripple B and Triangle but he has turned down their offers because of the respect he has for Friday Phiri and Gishon Ntini who he once worked with at Caps United.

Buffaloes are rumoured to be enticing the strict disciplinarian coach but it still remains to be seen whether the army side will not again lose the coach to the Zvishavane side after failing to land Masomere.

“I am a Caps United fan but the honest truth is the platinum miners must sign Chitembwe.They need immediate results and with the calibre of the players they have in their squad, they need someone with history,” said Albert Madondo a transport operator in the mining town.

Bernard Chimhamhiwa backed John Phiri with Kudzayi Kundodyiwa a former FC Platinum holding midfielder tipping Methembe Ndlovu.