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Grace Chingoma

Senior Sports Reporter

CAPS United have axed head coach Darlington Dodo, and his entire backroom staff, just days before the domestic Premiership campaign gets underway on Saturday.

The Green Machine have short-listed three coaches and one of them is set to be named as the new club head coach today.

He will have the freedom to choose his own assistants.

Dodo’s backroom staff included Takura Shariwa, Joseph “Shabba’’ Takaringofa, Witness Munkuli, development coach Stewart Murisa and fitness trainer Vincent Chabwana.

Other reports last night said the changes might not affect the development coach, given he had little input in the senior team, and the fitness trainer could also be retained.

There has been considerable pressure on the club’s leadership to crack the whip, especially after CAPS United failed to reach the knock-out rounds, of the Chibuku Super Cup.

Although they didn’t lose a match against their bitter rivals Dynamos, with both their group games ended in draws, the Green Machine were awful, in the other assignments.

Memories are still fresh, among the Makepekepe fans, of how the club capitulated, in the title race, in 2019.

The Harare giants appeared set to be crowned league champions, as they led the field, with just two games to go.

But, in a dramatic collapse, they lost their penultimate match to Ngezi Platinum Stars, during midweek, to open the door for FC Platinum. Then, in the decider in Harare, CAPS United failed to handle the pressure and were a pale shadow of themselves, as they lost the match, and the title, to the Zvishavane side.

As part of the divorce, Dodo will take home the club car he was using while the Green Machine said they had agreed a “nice’’ package for the coach.

He has an army of his sympathisers, who argue he was just a victim of working in an environment where the frequent protests by players, meant it became difficult for him to come up with a winning formula.

Last night the club management were locked in meetings, where they came up with few names, and made some enquires, with the prospective candidates.

“The club can today (yesterday) announce that we have parted ways with Darlington Dodo by mutual consent,’’ the club said in a statement.

“Darlington Dodo has been with the club since August 2018, as assistant coach, before taking the coaching reigns in 2019.

“CAPS United FC wishes him well in the future. Further coaching updates will be made in due course.”

Dodo was elevated to the hot seat in August 2019, when he took over, after Lloyd Chitembwe’s departure.

The Green Machine will get their league campaign underway with a tough away date against ZPC Kariba, in the November heat of the resort town, at Nyamhunga, on Saturday.

CAPS United president, Farai Jere, told The Herald that changes had been made to their coaching department because they wanted to see the Green Machine competing at a higher level.

“We have made some changes to our coaching staff and we have parted ways with our head coach, Darlington Dodo, with immediate effect,’’ he said.

“It was a decision which both parties accepted was in the best interest of the club, which should always come first, and we can confirm that we have given Dodo a special package for the services he rendered to our club. “This includes the car he was using, on club business, which he now takes home as his own and the club will have to find another one.

“We are looking at a number of coaches, who have shown interest in the job, and we will work flat out to ensure we have a coach by the time we play our first league match.

“There is no question that Dodo is a good coach, and a good man, but sometimes we need just a change of direction, because this can just provide the confidence, and boost, which we were lacking.’’

Jere and his fellow director, businessman Nhamo Tutisani, had exercised a lot of patience with Dodo amid pressure from their fans that the coach should be dropped.

Tutisani, in a frank review of their failed Chibuku Super Cup campaign, said it was unfair to lump all the blame on Dodo but there was need for a thorough and sober analysis.