The Sunday Mail
THERE are a few fine gentlemen in our football. Kelvin Kaindu is one of them. A storming start to the 2015 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season could not have happened to a better man than the Triangle coach.
Kaindu comes across as a man who is doing what he is born to do — coach football — as well as a man who knows where to direct all the credit to — to the Heavens.
When his team loses, it’s usually a high sounding quote about how the day wasn’t theirs as well as the line on how his team will work hard to ensure that they get it right the next time.
However, there was a shocking departure from that goody two shoes line when Triangle came unstuck against a well-drilled Flame Lily at a bumpy Lafarge Stadium last weekend.
Triangle’s unbeaten start came to a halt after Moses Demera’s strike, two minutes into the second half, gave the correctional services side maximum points and their first win of the season.
“One thing our opponents did was to change the venue to deny us a chance to play our passing game.
“We had a number of chances that we failed to convert as the surface made it difficult for us to play our game. Our opponents had only two chances that we gifted them and they buried one.
“Looking at where we played we tried to play a good game.
“If the PSL have seen it fit to play here then all teams will also have to play here,” the Zambian uncharacteristically said after the 0-1 defeat.
Kaindu believes his in a fast-paced passing game.
However, that game — as easy as it is on the eye — cannot win you matches, cannot win you trophies on its own.
Champions are known to win ugly at times.
The respected gaffer, who came just a few nods away from being appointed the Dynamos mentor during the off season, needs to find an alternative way to win games.
He needs a plan B.
What did he tell his charges to do the moment he realised that Lafarge was not conducive for a sexy brand of football?
It shall be well?
Can Kaindu’s teams win ugly?
During his reign in Bulawayo, Kallisto Pasuwa’s Dynamos had Highlanders’ number because Bosso were so predictable.
“We always knew that the trick lay in denying Highlanders an early goal,” a member of Pasuwa’s backroom staff revealed recently.
“Under Kaindu, Bosso would come out with guns blazing, running at you and seeking to get that early breakthrough so the emphasis was always on making sure that we don’t give them that early goal.
“After successfully negotiating the first 15, 20 minutes, Bosso were always there for the taking.”
Kaindu, whose only winners’ medal remains the Mbada Diamonds Cup one, has to find a way of winning without being fly.
You cannot expect to go to the Colliery and pass your way to a victory over Hwange.
Now the PSL wakes up
It’s not the habit of VaShagare to blow his own trumpet.
My prophet, that tall one from Muzarabani, always teaches about humility. Since making my debut on this page a number of developments, I can point at as reactions to issues that would have been raised on this platform, have taken place.
However, I haven’t found the need to raise the “I told you so” banner.
I will pass on this one too.
Allow me dear reader to say well done to the Premier Soccer League for fining Luke “Vahombe” Masomere and Saul Chaminuka for their oral diarrhoea.
Masomere, the How Mine coach, who is struggling to build a team from a pool of marquee signings, was fined $1 200 for accusing referee Jimmy Makwanda of fighting in the Dongo Sawmill corner during his side’s 2-1 win over the new boys.
Chaminuka, a member of an apostolic sect, was also slapped with a $1 200 fine for describing referee Masakadza Makonese’s performance as bull * * *.
The ZPC Kariba coach made the remarks after his side’s 1-2 defeat away to Chapungu.
What does the Madzibaba doctrine say about swearing Madzibaba Saul?
With such precedence having been set, coaches and players will now think twice about getting into verbal overdrive.
VaShagare exits the scene.
- VaShagare is the founder of DeMbare DotComs and can be contacted on that Facebook page as well as the email [email protected].
