FC Platinum ring more changes

FC PLATINUM have sacrificed assistant coach Patrick Mandizha as they seek to give Norman Mapeza room to put his own plan in motion at the advent of his second dance with the Zvishavane club.

Mandizha together with fitness trainer Ndabezinhle Ncube have been shown the exit door as the club restructures the technical team.

This follows the axing of Heindrikus Pieter De Jongh, whose stay at the club was short-lived after the club felt he would not fulfil his obligations since he did not have the mandatory Caf A coaching badge and could not preside over continental matches.

Mapeza has already brought back his right-hand man Daniel Vheremu, whom he left with when he joined Chippa United. Mandizha though has been part of the FC Platinum set-up since their days in the lower tier division, where he worked with several coaches for FC Platinum among them Jairos Tapera who steered the Midlands side to the topflight.

He also worked under Rahman Gumbo, Tendai Chikuni, Tenant Chilumba, Lloyd Mutasa, Mapeza, Sweswe and de Jongh.

NewsDay Sport understands that Mandizha's contract is set to expire at the end of next month and the club has decided not to renew it together with that of Ncube.

Club spokesperson Chido Chizondo confirmed the changes, adding that Mapeza had the discretion to choose his lieutenants. Goalkeepers coach Tembo Chuma is likely to survive the purge. The miners are due to take on Mozambique's Costa do Sol this weekend in the Caf Champions league preliminary round.

They will hope that the shake up in their technical team will not affect their performance as they are targeting to go beyond the group phase this time around.