When poverty is a blessing
tracking system.
Through professional spying, opponents are also studied to such an extent that the shoe size, height and weight of the opponent’s danger man are all recorded.
“I can’t imagine football without science and technology. It’s as good as driving a car without a dashboard,” said Mavhunga.
“Without a dashboard you wouldn’t know how fast you are going, or how far you have driven, or possibly how much fuel you need in your tank.” Nutrition is also key at the club. The Ngezi players were served grilled pork chop, rice and French salad before last Wednesday afternoon’s training session as instructed by the team’s dietician.
They players will most likely eat pasta and white meat two hours before they take to the pitch at Maglas.
“Nutritional value is very important. You need to establish as a chef what kind of food has an effect on the performance of players,” said the team’s chef Munyaradzi Denhere.
With the scientific and nutritional angles covered Ndiraya says he can fully concentrate on the tactical side of things.
“It’s the right thing to have all these people in a club structure. That’s modern football for you,” said Ndiraya who is a holder of a degree in sports science.
“The performance of players and the team in general cannot be measured by naked eyes. There is need for all progressive coaches to embrace sports science.
“It is the right thing to do and it is the SHABANIE MINE’S match day may be considered petty cash by a high-flying Ngezi Platinum Stars that travels with its own chefs but the poor miners have something money cannot buy — character.
The vast difference between the two teams’ financial positions will not be easily visible when they reacquaint in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League duel at Maglas here today. The eagle-eyed may deduce it from the kit that the respective teams will wear, the team buses and to some extent the water bottles.
However, when the kick-off whistle sounds it will be difficult to tell the have’s from the have not.
Foretelling how this duel will end is also impossible.
This war of attrition between a Shabanie side that was always expected to fight relegation from day one and a Ngezi side that was always tipped to tussle for the title can go either way. Or neither way. Last season the home side won this fixture 1-0, to avenge a similar scoreline defeat they had been way to go. Whilst resources may limit us in embracing sports science the big question is are we as clubs prepared to embrace it?”
This season Ndiraya has departed a bit from his favoured 3-4-3 formation to a back four that usually consists of skipper Liberty Chakoroma, new signing Frank Makarati, Keith Murera and the injured Godknows Murwira.
Former Dynamos star Tichaona Chipunza anchors the midfield with Tichaona Mabvura, Donald Teguru and Terrence Dzukamanja providing the width and pace upfront.
Having learnt a lot from Elvis “Chuchu” Chiweshe, Kallisto Pasuwa and David “Yogi” Mandigora during his time at Dynamos, Ndiraya’s wish is to become a title winning gaffer.
“It is my wish to be as successful as all the coaches I have worked with. This year our target is to win the league title,” said Ndiraya who has won the Chibuku Super Cup with Ngezi in 2015. handed at the Baobab four months earlier.
Ngezi roll into Zvishavane having won their opening five matches, without conceding a goal, but in Shabanie they face a team that has little regard for pre-match odds, a team that just doesn’t know when it’s beaten.
The manner in which the Chinda Boys rallied from three goals down to draw 3-all with Dynamos on Match Day Two epitomised the kind of resolve Takesure Chiragwi has infused into this team.
“We might be poor financially but talent wise we are far from being poor,” said Chiragwi, who at 34 is the youngest gaffer in the Premiership.
Shabanie Mine have only lost once this term, 0-3 away to Chicken Inn, and are quietly confident of being the team that will stop the Ngezi juggernaut.
They might be the home team but they have nothing to lose in this one.
If they fall, just like what Herentals, Triangle, Nichrut, Dynamos, Chicken Inn, the story will be about Ngezi winning again not Shabanie Mine losing their second game of the season.And when they play without pressure the Chinda Boys become a dangerous lot.
“I always tell them to believe in themselves and enjoy playing the game,” revealed Chiragwi.
“My challenge as coach is to make these young boys realise just how good they are. When they came here I told them the truth about our financial position but was also quick to highlight that no amount of money can buy the opportunity to play against teams such as Dynamos, Caps and Ngezi Platinum.
“And when games such as this one against Ngezi come along my boys will be motivated, they will be eager to show that they are just as good as the guys who are getting paid well and on time.”
For all their troubles Chiragwi reckons Shabanie Mine has given him the perfect platform to launch his coaching career.
“It might not make sense to most people but I am the happiest coach in the league.
“Coaching Shabanie Mine has taught me lessons that no coaching instructor can teach and I am happy that all this is happening at the start of my coaching career,” he said.