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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
IMPRESSED by Takesure Chiragwi turning around their fortunes to end the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season in the top four, Ngezi Platinum Stars yesterday confirmed the gaffer as their substantive head coach on a three-year deal.

Chiragwi, who becomes the sixth coach to be given reigns at Ngezi Platinum Stars has been rewarded for his sterling job in an interim capacity after taking over from Benjani Mwaruwari who was fired in July following a string of poor results.

Coaches that have been in charge of Ngezi Platinum Stars since their promotion into the topflight in 2016 are Clifton Kadurira who led them to the Premiership having won the Northern Region title. Due to the standardisation of coaches, Ngezi Platinum Stars then appointed Tonderai Ndiraya as their head coach in June 2016 with Kadurira reassigned to the role of assistant.

Ndiraya led Ngezi to the 2016 Chibuku Super Cup glory and finished their debut Premiership season in position seven.

In 2017, the former Dynamos coach guided them to an impressive third finish in the championship. A shock exit by Ndiraya with five Premiership games left in 2018 marked the end of a two-and-a-half flirtation with Madamburo. Kadurira took charge of the remaining games on an interim basis, managing to collect five points from a possible 15 as Ngezi Platinum Stars went on to finish second on the table.

Former Highlanders’ Erol Akbay was then appointed to the Ngezi Platinum Stars’ hot seat in January 2019, staying for nine months as he was fired in September. A week later, former Young Warriors gaffer Rodwell Dhlakama replaced him on an interim basis before being appointed to the substantive position in December.

Dhlakama led them to a fourth finish in the championship in 2019 and also lost to Highlanders in the Chibuku Super Cup final.
There were no games in 2020 due to Covid-19 and when action resumed in 2021 with the Chibuku Super Cup, Dhlakama was beaten by FC Platinum in the final.

Dhlakama, a former Young Warriors gaffer parted ways with the club at the beginning of this year. Chiragwi then held forth and the club appointed Mwaruwari with the team fifth on the table with 15 points from nine games – four wins, three draws and two defeats.

Mwaruwari was fired in July, four months into his four-year deal after managing just 15 points from a possible 39 – three wins, six draws and four defeats.

Chiragwi, who was Mwaruwari’s assistant, took over. Ngezi Platinum Stars were on position nine with 30 points from 22 games. In his 12 games, Chiragwi managed to win seven matches, drew four and lost once as he amassed 25 points from a possible 36.

Ngezi Platinum Stars finished the season fourth with 55 points behind winners FC Platinum (75), Chicken Inn (63) and Dynamos (58). Chiragwi won the PSL Coach of the Month award with Ngezi contributing two players to the Soccer Stars of the Year, goalkeeper Nelson Chadya and striker Delic Murimba.

Confirming Chiragwi’s appointment yesterday, the club said the new coach will be responsible for assembling his technical team.

“Ngezi Platinum Stars Football Club is pleased to inform all its stakeholders that the Club has appointed Mr Takesure Chiragwi as the substantive Head Coach. Chiragwi, who was initially the Assistant Coach took over as interim Head Coach following the departure of Mr Benjani Mwaruwari in July 2022.

“Coach Chiragwi has been appointed following his excellent performance after being appointed interim coach wherein the team finished strongly, achieving its Top 4 Finish objective for Season 2022. In addition, the appointment of Chiragwi signifies the Club’s commitment to develop technical skills internally and coach Chiragwi has steadily improved since joining the Club in 2019.

“The new head coach is in the process of assembling his technical team that will be announced in due course,” reads the statement.

Meanwhile, Ngezi Platinum Stars’ president Stanley Segula has stepped down with Takawira Maswiswi who was the vice-president commercial taking over.

“Mr Segula is stepping down leaving the Club in a healthy position to continue on its journey towards achieving its strategic objectives. Despite stepping down as President, Mr Segula remains committed to Ngezi Platinum Stars FC as he begins his new role as the Club’s First Patron,” reads the club statement.

Meanwhile, the club is holding an awards ceremony at Mhondoro-Ngezi on Thursday. — @ZililoR