The Sunday Mail
Don Makanyanga
Sports Reporter
VETERAN coach Sunday “Mhofu’’ Chidzambwa has added his voice to the debate that has been re-ignited by FC Platinum’s failure to make an impact in African football and believes that it mirrors the declining domestic Premiership standards.
With decades of experience that were highlighted by his crowning moment when he took Dynamos to within 90 minutes of a Champions League title in 1998, one is tempted to stop and listen when Chidzambwa gives his overview of a domestic Premiership that has lost its glamour.
The country’s most successful coach, who has also guided the Warriors to two Africa Cup of Nations finals and won four of Zimbabwe’s COSAFA Cup titles with the senior team, spoke to The Sunday Mail Sport about some of the reasons why FC Platinum and clubs like Chicken Inn have struggled to make the Champions League group stage and beyond.
David “Yogi Mandigora is the other former Dynamos coach to have led the Glamour Boys to the semi-finals of the Champions League while the likes of the now-defunct Monomotapa and DeMbare’s bitter rivals CAPS United have made it to the group stage.
However, it is FC Platinum who hold the ignominious record of being the only Zimbabwean outfit to reach the Champions League group stage and fail to win a match.
Chidzambwa reckoned that FC Platinum’s failure was a consequence of a Premiership that has been in gradual decline over the years and now unable to attract or even retain its star players.
During his last stint with DeMbare, the Glamour Boys were able to woo players like Ghanaian forward George Owusu, Ernest Mtawali from Malawi and, Zambia’s Francis Kasanda.
Dynamos were also able to retain club legends who included Memory Mucherahowa, Gift Muzadzi and Kalisto Pasuwa — an integral part of the side that lost 4-2 on aggregate to ASEC Mimosas in that 1998 final.
“In my opinion, I feel our clubs are struggling simply because our league is not as strong as it used to be.
“Unlike in the past when the local league attracted players from outside the country, the latest trends in player movement in search of greener pastures outside the country’s borders has also had a negative impact on club competitiveness in the African Safari.
“Our league used to be strong and competitive as the club executives and technical teams recruited the best players both locally and beyond our borders to build strong teams. You would see that only a few players were playing outside the country and as such it makes your league competitive, hence the club became competitive in the continental competitions.
“Now most of our good players are being offered opportunities outside the country and as a result, it is weakening our teams,” said Chidzambwa.
For Mandigora, the last coach to guide a local side beyond the CAF group stages, one of the secrets to success was consultation with some experienced hands.
“Playing in the Champions League is not easy at all. I think for me to go past the group stages, there were a lot of factors involved, but chief among them was seeking advice from Mhofu (Sunday Chidzambwa). Experience is always the best teacher when it comes to these tournaments,” said Mandigora.
The former Dynamos gaffer said maximising on home advantage is important if a club is to go through the group stage.
“It is always good to get maximum points at home, with a good goal margin, then try to get a good result away from home (maybe play for a draw when you play away),” said Mandigora.
Mandigora and his class of 2008 fronted by Edward Sadomba, Murape Murape, Justice Majabvi, Desmond Maringwa and, Philip Marufu defied the odds to reach the semi-finals, emerging second in a group that had the trio of former champions Al Ahly, Zamalek and, ASEC Mimosas.
“At Dynamos we used to have players that developed character by playing in the Champions League, and with FC Platinum having played in the competition, if they learn from their mistakes, then going forward they will be a force to reckon with going forward,” said Mandigora.
Lloyd Chitembwe’s CAPS United also did well in the group stage while Rodwell Dhlakama and his Monoz outfit garnered some victories too.
But it has been a tough ask for FC Platinum with the Zvishavane miners, who made their continental club football debut in 2012, still to make their mark.
Dhlakama, who had a dance with the African Safari in 2008 with Monomotapa before being knocked out in the group stage of the Champions League, believes that the local football calendar has impacted negatively the performances of clubs in the tournament.
“Of late we are not doing well as a country but there are a lot of factors that affect performance in the club competitions, chief among them the issue of preparations.
“We need to improve on the preparations, clubs have been complaining about the time that we play games in the CAF competitions, our league won’t be active and that is one of the factors that has been affecting us for a long time,” said Dhlakama.
With clubs enlisting dirty games to get results, Dhlakama concurred with Mandigora on the need to maximise on home advantage.
“The issue of dirty games has always been there since time immemorial. I partook in the Champions League in 2008 with Monomotapa, it was the same old song, teams would play dirty games in order to progress to the next round of matches.
“So we learnt that if you want to do well in the club competitions then you have to maximise on home advantage, by winning big,” said Dhlakama.
