The Sunday Mail
Don Makanyanga
Sports Reporter
IT has become the norm that Moses ‘Bambo’ Chunga’s media interview is incomplete without one or two savoury nuggets.
Zifa recently granted six coaches, including Chunga, an exemption to sit on PSL clubs’ technical benches without the mandatory CAF A Licences.
As Bambo responded to the decision, the Warriors and Dynamos 54-year-old legend was outspoken as always.
“Is there anything to talk about?” retorted Chunga. “You are barking at the wrong tree, I am not the one you should be interviewing.”
Agent Sawu, Luke Petros Jukulile, Amini Soma-Phiri, Bongani Mafu and Shadreck Mugurasawe were also exempted from the CAF A Licence requirement.
But Chunga insists that in his case, there was no need for the exemption as he has “all the required papers”.
He said the initial decision to bar him from coaching in the Premiership was unjustified.
Chunga was a championship winner with Gunners in 2009.
He has also coached Premiership giants Dynamos, Harare City and CAPS United, as well as the now defunct Shooting Stars and Gunners. “I am not desperate for a Premiership job. For now I can do consultancy work for any of these Premier League clubs.
“They (Zifa) think that they have given me a reprieve, but I can go for another five years without coaching in the Premier League, focusing on my life,” he said.
Last August when Chunga was about to take over the reins at relegated Premiership side Telone FC, Zifa barred him from sitting on the bench due to the issue of the CAF A badge.
“There is nothing new under the sun. Even in the Bible, Paul, Joseph and many others were persecuted despite having done nothing wrong. “I am not an exception. I was a victim of circumstances, by certain individuals, so do not think that I received any reprieve,” Chunga thundered. “If barring coaches is a rule, then the rule should apply to everyone, it shouldn’t be selective.
“Why would I be exempted when I have the required papers?” he quipped.
“I have the certificates that are considered under the Zifa auspices. The same certificates that are being used by the other coaches, I have them.” Chunga believes that “some people worked in the shadows to get me banned”.
“If barring me from coaching in the PSL had been done for the correct reason, I was supposed to face the music. In this case that did not happen. “The media has been portraying the issue in the wrong way. I am being potrayed as a thick headed coach who doesn’t want to go for the courses offered here.
“People tend to think that they are hurting you, which is sad. You have to look at life from every perspective.
“They shut me out from the TelOne job but you know what happened to that team? They were relegated. Bambo would have been blamed for that,” Chunga said.
Since his last coaching job with Harare City in 2013, the former Zimbabwean captain has largely been working in Division Two’s development trenches.
“That incident (being barred from coaching in the PSL) taught me that one should always have a fall back plan.
“At times we try to resist some things but the Man above has already made some plans for you. Very few people know about my academy, which is in Division Two. After the snub, I spent most of my time with my boys. I’m happy with the progress we have made so far,” said Chunga.
