The ManicaPost
Moffat Mungazi Sports Correspondent
EX-EASTERN Lions skipper, Muchineripi ‘Captain Rigo’ Wayerera believes reigning champions FC Platinum’s hopes of defending their Premiership crown have been bolstered by coach Norman Mapeza’s return to their technical team.
Mapeza traces his roots to the undulating terrain of Honde Valley.
He made an instant impact with a triumphant return to the Zvishavane side’s dugout, superintending their Caf Champions League progress to the first round last weekend.
They overpowered Costa do Sol of Mozambique 4-1 on aggregate in a two-legged preliminary phase, home and away victory. This marks the renewal of the respected trainer’s romance with the club following his departure over a year ago to take up a similar role with South African side Chippa United.
The history-making gaffer will be seeking record-extending league success with the platinum miners. He led them to two successive titles in the last three years, the first in the club’s history, and laid the foundation for the third before leaving.
Sakubva-born Wayerera is convinced that with regards to the championship race, the reunion tips the scale in favour of Pure Platinum Play.
“My money is on FC Platinum to go all the way and win it again. They are a good side that has become a strong force over the past years. To have successfully lured coach Norman Mapeza back is a piece of smart business. They have pulled off quite a feat and it provides them with the kind of tonic their bid to defend the championship requires. I firmly place them as the outright title favourites. It is just what the doctor has ordered for the trophy holders.
“They have a squad that can compete and a competent coach who can deliver. Mapeza is tried and tested. After all, he has been there and done that. In any case, he will be itching to prove that he still possesses that title-winning stamina following his unceremonious exit from Chippa United.
“He also needs to make up for that move to TshakhumaTshaMadzivhandila which failed to materialise. There will be competition from rivals like Chicken Inn, Dynamos, Highlanders and CAPS United but my feeling is that FC Platinum will edge them out,” said Wayerera, a sturdy defensive lynchpin at the peak of his career.
The former steady defender added that FC Platinum’s involvement in the African inter-club competition offers Mapeza and his charges a head start against local rivals. With the domestic game still in a coronavirus-induced limbo since conclusion of the previous campaign last year, the protracted inactivity has left domestic clubs hamstrung.
Explained the former Buffaloes player: “It (participation in the Caf safari) is readying them for the Premiership challenge when the local game finally resumes. This will come as some kind of pre-season preparation which other local competitors are not likely to enjoy due to the nature of our circumstances with Covid-19. They are already acclimatising for league battles on the local front and this gives them a comparative advantage. Their fitness levels will, therefore, be higher due to the training they are receiving. They will be raring to go upon resumption of our Premiership.”
Wayerera, nicknamed after former Cameroon centre-back and skipper Rigobert Song, attributed Mapeza’s success to his tactical acumen and management style.
Captain Rigo experienced some of the ex-Warriors coach’s influence when he briefly joined Monomotopa in 2009 from the now defunct Mutare-based Premiership side Eastern Lions.
Although Mapeza had unexpectedly left after the title triumph the previous year, Wayerera felt the tactician’s sway at his new home.
“When I joined Monoz, Mapeza’s fingerprints on the project were still visible. During that time I learnt that he would demand the best from his players. He also enforced strict discipline among the squad. That has made him a winner every serious footballer wants to play for. He also has a discernible pattern of play which is pleasant on the eye and also produces results. His hunger for success has seen continuously challenging himself to do better.
“That he has captained and coached the Warriors illustrates how far he has come in the game. Through his effective management style, players under his tutelage always improve. His work at Chippa United speaks for itself as the team was making steady progress with his guidance. That’s why he lasted relatively longer than most coaches at the club in the recent past. FC Platinum clearly knows what he offers,” the 39-year-old told Post Sport.
As an aspiring coach, Wayerera is eager to follow in Mapeza’s footsteps. After hanging up his boots following a career-ending injury while turning out for hometown club Buffaloes, Wayerera turned to coaching and has been involved in training lower division side Skyline as well as Safa juniors.
