The Sunday Mail
Lea Mutanda
MANICA Diamonds caretaker coach Johannes Nhumwa says he is ready to fill in the shoes of veteran coach Luke Masomere when he guides his side in a Castle Lager Premiership encounter against CAPS United at Vengere in Rusape today.
Nhumwa, Masomere’s trusted lieutenant for several years, was thrust into the coaching job after his mentor was fired last week following a string of poor results.
He is confident that he can deliver good results in a match against a team that handed them a 3-0 drubbing on Match Day One of the season at the National Sports stadium.
The interim coach of the Mutare based side takes charge of his first Premier league match against Harare Giants Caps United this afternoon and is confident of kicking-off his league campaign with a victory.
“No coach wants to lose a game and I hope the transition won’t affect our play, our target is to get maximum points,” said Nhumwa.
“Masomere taught me a lot and I have been waiting for this opportunity.
“I am ready to fill in his shoes despite them being too big for me. I cannot disappoint the executive that has shown confidence in me,” said Nhumwa.
The ambitious Mutare side have won four games, lost six and have drawn in seven of their assignments.
And after a 0-0 draw with champions FC Platinum last week, CAPS United coach Lloyd Chitembwe hopes his charges will replicate the kind of form they showed in the first half of the season.
“If we are to play like we did last week then nothing will stop us from attaining our targets of the season. With such a performance, nothing can stop us from getting maximum points,” said Chitembwe.
Chitembwe has demanded that his charges up their game in the second and crucial period of the season.
“Premier League games are never easy, we are looking forward to the second half of the season and hope to replicate our performance of the first half of the season or to do better.
“We have our targets and we have to do whatever is possible to achieve them. That means we have to win our games going forward,” said Chitembwe.
