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Fungai Muderere, Senior Sports Reporter

FORMER Bulawayo Chiefs mentor Garthly Chipuka is reportedly earmarked to take over the coaching reins at Castle Lager Premier Soccer League outfit Yadah where he will replace Genesis Mangombe. 

Mangombe, who just like Chipuka is a member of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), recently parted ways with the Miracle Boys, a club he joined in 2019 after turning out for Black Mambas (now ZRP FC) and retiring from the team after a knee injury in 2010.

At Yadah FC, Mangombe took over from Thomas Rusive. The former has since joined Dynamos where he will be one of the assistant coaches to ex Black Rhinos coach Herbert ‘Jompano’ Maruwa who replaced Tonderai Ndiraya who was in charge of the Glamour Boys’ technical department up to the end of the 2021/22 premiership season.

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Former DeMbare first team coach Lloyd “MaBlanyo” Chigowe will also be part of the new technical team for the blue and white army.

According to a well-placed source, Chipuka, an ex-Young Mighty Warriors gaffer and a Caf A licence holder, was spotted at Yadah Village on Christmas Eve where he had a meeting with Yadah owner, Prophet Walter Magaya and other members of the club’s executive.

“Chipuka is heavily tipped to take over from Genesis Mangombe at Yadah FC. On Christmas Eve he drove to Harare where he met Yadah owner Prophet Magaya at Yadah Village. It was a meeting that was also attended by other members of Yadah FC leadership. Chances are very high that Chipuka will soon put pen to paper,” said the source. 

Spirited efforts to get a comment from Yadah FC chief executive officer Admire Mango and club’s chairman Everson Chatambudza drew a blank as their mobile phones continuously went unanswered.

Chipuka could neither confirm nor deny the pending development, opting to play his cards close to his chest.

“We are football coaches and this is the time of the year when a lot of rumours are being spread. I’m at work in Bulawayo and God’s time is the best to make a move,” said Chipuka.

Under the guidance of Mangombe, Yadah finished the 2021/2022 season on position 14 with 37 points and with a worrying goal difference of -7 in an 18 member league race that saw Whawha, Tenax, Bulawayo City and Harare City being relegated.

Yadah FC concluded the campaign two points ahead of Harare City after managing to post seven wins, 13 draws and the same number of losses. — @FungaiMuderee