The Sunday Mail
Don Makanyanga
IT goes without saying that Darlington Dodo is having a time of his life at the helm of the CAPS United dressing room, enjoying a purple patch, primed to reclaim the Premiership title they last won in 2016.
But, if someone had told him that he would be the man in charge at the Green Machine eight months after being persuaded to relinquish his post as head coach at Eswatini side Manzini Sundowns at the start of the year, Dodo would have dismissed such talk with a grin or a laugh. His appointment came as a surprise to him and the club’s faithfuls.
“With God nothing is impossible. I had trust in Lloyd Chitembwe, it was not like I was prepared for that because we were working very well together as a technical team. Still, as a soldier you must be ready for any situation, and I was,’’ Dodo said.
Two months since his appointment, the unassuming coach describes his new task as ‘the greatest experience of my life’.
“It is a great experience that any coach can envy, I am very privileged to coach such a big team.
“We have a presidium that is anxious in terms of results, as they want to win things, and they are clear on what they want to achieve. The players have taken it upon themselves that they want to play for the CAPS United badge and that alone has made my job easy.”
Dodo’s appointment in August was met with mixed feelings as very few trusted his capabilities to fill in the shoes left by one of CAPS United’s most decorated sons, Chitembwe.
“When I was appointed head coach, I didn’t have a good history of the club like the previous coach.
“People were very doubtful and I could hear prophets of doom prophesying about the tough times that lay ahead, but I am very brave and optimistic.”
As fate would have it, Dodo received a baptism of fire on his first assignment — a date with Chapungu at Ascot.
CAPS were hammered 4-2.
This was followed by a 3-3 draw with lowly Bulawayo Chiefs.
To his credit, Dodo remained calm in the midst of the storm.
He was duly rewarded for his humility, patience and perseverance as CAPS went on to record four wins in the next five matches.
“I have done this before, I coached outside the country where people spoke a language I did not understand, I persevered. I knew it was a temporary setback when we lost to Chapungu and drew with Bulawayo Chiefs.
“We are in a marathon where you can have impediments and fall, but it is the reaction after the falls that matter, we reacted sooner than I expected.
“Since then we have done well,” said Dodo. With nine matches to go before the curtain comes down, CAPS sit at the summit of the table – five points clear of second placed Chicken Inn.
Dodo has called for consistency from his charges. “In terms of winning things, you need to be consistent through a lot of teamwork. This is what I have been telling the guys.”
Not only has he set his sight on winning the league title, Dodo is also dreaming big.
“Winning the league is one of the best things I would love to achieve as a coach, but obviously as human beings, you always want more.
“We have national teams around, and one day you would want to be part of that technical bench,” said Dodo.
His charges face tricky assignments in their remaining fixtures as they tackle old foes Dynamos, Chicken Inn, FC Platinum, ZPC Kariba, Tel-One FC, Yadah, Herentals and Hwange whom they play this afternoon
“It’s still game on, but we will take each game as it comes, that is our motto here at CAPS. In as far as the Hwange game is concerned, we are playing at home and we expect a big crowd.
“There is a belief within the institution that we will win the league, hence we are going to be hungrier than we have never been before.
“Hwange are not very safe and it is not a small team. They are in the league to compete and so we are going to treat them like we have been treating the other games all along, we are not going to undermine them,” said Dodo.
Hwange coach Nation Dube has also sent a strong warning to the Green Machine ahead of today’s match.
“We have heard CAPS saying we should not travel to Harare as they have already won the match.
“I am not sure which Hwange they have played because Hwange is in town to play and win. We are looking for a positive result. We will just have to wait and see who gets the last laugh at the end of the day,” said Dube.
Fixtures:
CAPS United v Hwange (NSS)
Bulawayo Chief v Triangle (Luveve)
Chapungu v Herentals (Ascot)
