Warm reception
CAPS UNITED coach Lloyd Chitembwe sees a tormented soul when he looks at Denver Mukamba and has vowed to splash love on the troubled former Dynamos midfielder who has crossed the floor to line up in the Green Machine corner this season.
Mukamba completed his switch from DeMbare and has been embraced by Makepekepe, with club president Farai Jere committing to help the midfielder perform to his best, after joining them on a oneyear loan deal.
He had his first training session with Makepekepe yesterday at the National Sports Stadium and it was easy to notice how broken he was by the DeMbare rejection after his relationship with coach Lloyd Mutasa irretrievably broke down.
“Obviously, I think for him choosing CAPS United is an endorsement of the amount of work that we put here and as coaches when you look at Denver you can’t doubt his capabilities,’’ said Chitembwe.
“But what is more important is when one really looks at what has been happening to Denver. You see a soul that’s been a bit confused, a soul devoid of love and I am sure we are here to provide him the necessary support for him to get to the levels where we know he is capable of playing at.’’
Jere yesterday said they have plans to help the player deal with his demons.
“We have always given our players support. Previously, we had the likes of Devon Chafa and Dennis Dauda. A lot was said about these players but we managed as a team to bring those players to their best, and you saw what they did,’’ said Jere.
“So Denver is not an exception. He is a youngster, he is turning 25 this year. What we are going to do as management is to show him love.
“We need to give him the love that he needs, especially in view of what was happening to him in the last few weeks.
“We have been following the proceedings; the coaches don’t like him and the executive doesn’t like him either. He is a young man so we are going to show him love.
“We want to bring him to his best. We have got coaches who are capable. So ours is just to concentrate on that job to give this boy love and support what he needs because he is undoubtedly one of the best talents of his generation. You know when Denver is on top of his game he is one of the best talents we have
around,” said Jere.
Makepekepe have also accepted the conditions that the midfielder
will not feature in the Harare Derby as spelt out by Dynamos in their loan agreement.
“If it’s a contractual obligation, it has to be followed. We agree to that but otherwise I cannot comment on
something that I still haven’t seen,’’ said Jere.
“If the conditions are agreed that the player is not supposed to play against Dynamos, we also have got other players in our ranks capable of playing against Dynamos.
“We have got a very strong team, we have got very good replacements. Of course, the season hasn’t started but I believe we have established one of the best teams even as compared to the one that did well for us in 2016, not taking anything away from those guys.
“This is a very strong team. We have got more than one player for each position. If you look at Denver’s position, we also have so many players who can fit in there. Suppose we are playing Dynamos, in his absence we can have Ronald Chitiyo playing there, we also have Wisdom Mutasa.’’
It looks CAPS United will continue to give him his free role in attack after he was named among the forwards in a provisional squad unveiled yesterday.
Former Warriors midfielder Milton Ncube, Munyaradzi Diya, Chris Mverechena, Method Mwanjali, Dominic Mukandi, Praise Tonha, Ronald Chitiyo, Brian Muzondiwa, Wisdom Mutasa, Tony Fuga and Simba Nhivi are the additions.
They have also short-listed their Under-20 players headlined by former Aces Youth Academy winger Tinotenda Chiunye and Nicholas Guyo.
The Green Machine technical team had hoped to finalise their squad yesterday but it seemed they had not made a decision yet on Rodreck Mutuma.
The forward has been training with the side for the past two weeks as he seeks a move away from Yadah Stars.
He is likely to take the last slot in the Green Machine squad although some tough decisions have to be made about Oscar Machapa, Crispen Machisi and Nigerian Abasirim Chidiebere. Former Warriors and Highlanders midfielder Peter “Rio” Moyo also showed up at training and looked sharp.
CAPS Utd provisional squad: Goalkeepers: Munyaradzi Diya, Chris Mverechena, Prosper Chigumba
Defenders: Valentine Musarurwa, Zvikomborero Bizeki, Justice Jangano, Steven Makatuka, Godwin Goliath, Method Mwanjali, Carlton Munzabwa
Midfielders: Kudzai Nyamupfukudza, Dominic Mukandi, Joel Ngodzo, Hardlife Zvirekwi, Milton Ncube, Cabby Kamhapa, Praise Tonha, Ronald Chitiyo.
Strikers: John Zhuwawu, Brian Muzondiwa, Wisdom Mutasa, Tony Fuga, Denver Mukamba, Simba Nhivi.