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Tadious Manyepo

Sports Reporter

AILING Castle Lager Premiership football giants CAPS United have identified Bulawayo Chiefs assistant coach Thulani Sibanda as a possible replacement to Lloyd Chitembwe should the latter fail to redeem himself in the next few games, The Herald can exclusively reveal. 

The Green Machine are a team in crisis on and off the field of play and they have gone for a record seven-match losing streak, failing to find the target in the last six. 

They are at their lowest ebb with only a single point cushioning themselves from the team occupying the last relegation slot.

And following their 0-1 defeat to struggling ZPC Kariba at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday, Makepekepe slid close to the red-zone, prompting some of the members in the club’s leadership structures to suggest Chitembwe should leave. 

Of course, the team is mired in deep financial crisis but a club of their stature, no matter the circumstances, should be putting up decent performances. 

Yet, they have become so poor, even with players like former Soccer Star of the Year award winner Rodwell Chinyengetere in their fold, they can lose to a club like Tenax.

Makepekepe are understood to have held a meeting from which the future of Chitembwe was also discussed with Sibanda’s name featuring prominently among a limited list of possible replacements. 

“Thulani Sibanda could be on his way to CAPS United as things stand, Chitembwe’s days are numbered although there are possibilities he might be given a few games to prove himself,” said a source. 

“A meeting has been held and Chitembwe’s future was also part of the agenda together with players the team would be targeting to sign when the window opens on Friday. 

“There are some who seem to be still believing in Chitembwe while others are saying he should leave. So the general feeling is that Chitembwe should be given some few more games, then he will leave if he fails to deliver.” 

But the club’s  Chief Executive Officer, Charlie Jones, who is still awaiting to see CAPS United post a victory since his appointment, dismissed the reports although he hinted Chitembwe could indeed be on his way out of the team. 

“There is nothing like that, no one has yet been fired at the moment and everyone is in good standing,” said Jones. 

“We will let you know when the time comes but everyone is in good standing at the moment. We have not given anyone an ultimatum yet; we have not discussed anyone’s future. I haven’t been in a meeting with anyone. I have just come out of a meeting in which we are trying to sign some players . . . ”

Chitembwe has become the first coach at the Green Machine to lose seven games on the trot, failing to score in six of those since the club’s promotion into the local top-flight football in the late 1970s. 

But he is a big name in the local football circles, particularly at CAPS United where he is the most decorated person after winning three league titles in 1996, 2004 and 2005 as well as once as a coach in 2016. 

But this run has somehow tainted his record, prompting some members of the management to call for his ouster. 

But the crisis at Makepekepe is not confined to Chitembwe. 

Players are always restive and on Sunday in the match against ZPC Kariba, the club failed to gather just 18 players for the match-day squad. 

Sixteen players were available and Chitembwe had to deploy some of them, including Ben Musaka and Thulani Joseph, in make-shift positions. 

Some players, including veteran Jimmy Dzingai, are no longer reporting for training after telling the club of their intention to leave. 

Dzingai last reported for duty when CAPS United lost 0-3 in the derby against Dynamos at the National Sports Stadium three weeks ago.