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Rahman Gumbo

Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
NEW Chicken Inn head coach Rahman Gumbo says his immediate challenge is to motivate his players and restore their confidence ahead of Sunday’s clash against Mutare City Rovers at Sakubva Stadium.

Chicken Inn’s title defence is slowly stuttering following three straight defeats against ZPC Kariba, Bulawayo City and most recently Triangle United. They lost by identical 0-1 score lines to ZPC Kariba and City and fell 1-2 to Triangle.

To restore their title defence aspirations, the Gamecocks need victory against Rovers.

Gumbo, who watched last Sunday’s 1-2 defeat to Triangle from the terraces having been introduced to the players on Wednesday last week, said he needs to work on his players’ endurance, among other things.

“From the two defeats that I watched, the players struggled to last the entire game and conceded late because of lack of endurance,” said Gumbo.

“Quality and talent we have, but I think the attitude the players had when they were participating in the Caf Champions League is different to how they’re applying themselves in the local league. If we manage to work on their endurance, get them to start believing in themselves and take along a positive attitude, I think we’ll be home, safe and dry,” he said.

The multi-championship winning coach with Highlanders, Malawi’s MTN Wanderers and Township Rollers of Botswana, said he also has to restore Chicken Inn’s tag of being the team to beat.

He said losing three games on the trot has seen them losing the respect that they deserve as champions.

Gumbo revealed that he told his players at yesterday morning’s training session that they risk going the same way as Monomotapa, Gunners and AmaZulu, who were relegated after winning the league title.

“Clubs have been relegated before, a season after being crowned champions and coming from competing in Africa. I don’t want that happening to us and that’s why I’ve been speaking about the need to work on the mentality. The other thing in my view is that we need to put in more effort and train twice a day to get the endurance levels back,” said Gumbo.

The champions resumed double training sessions from yesterday.

The former national team gaffer, who is being assisted by former Bulawayo Chiefs’ coach Thulani Sibanda, said he will reinforce his side during the mid-season window should there be players moving.

“I’m not a coach who’ll say I’ll offload players when I haven’t seen them for some time. Everyone has an equal chance to play and I don’t want to create despondency in the squad by threatening to fire players. We’ve heard that some players might be moving and if they move, then I’ll bring in replacements depending on the positions. As for now, they’re all Chicken Inn players and I expect them to put 100 percent effort,” Gumbo said.

Among the players reportedly on their way to South Africa in search of greener pastures are midfielders Tafadzwa Kutinyu and captain Danny Phiri, defender Lawrence Mhlanga, strikers Edmore Chirambadare and Mitchelle Katsvairo.

The challenge for these players is to keep playing well so that the clubs intending to sign them can see the value in securing their services.A poor show in the domestic league while awaiting a move to South Africa may result in some of the players losing out, since the clubs they intend joining have in-form players at the moment.

Fixtures

Saturday: FC Platinum v Border Strikers (Mandava), Tsholotsho FC v Dynamos (Barbourfields), Chapungu v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Ascot), Caps United v ZPC Kariba (Rufaro)

Sunday: Mutare City Rovers v Chicken Inn (Sakubva), Triangle United v Bulawayo City (Gibbo), Hwange v How Mine (Colliery), Highlanders v Harare City (Barbourfields)