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yielded six wins, four draws and three losses and ensured that the miners remained within shouting distance of the championship marathon.

Such had been the impact that Chilumba made at FC Platinum in the opening games of the season that the miners raced into an early lead on the log standings for several weeks before Bulawayo giants Highlanders dislodged them.

Chilumba, voted the Premiership’s Coach of the Year in 2011 when he was still with Hwange whom he led to a fourth place finish and a place in the Caf Confederations Cup, had also reorganised the FC Platinum outfit with a view to try and help the miners claim the championship that eluded them on the final day of their maiden season two years ago.

In that year, FC Platinum —  under Rahman Gumbo — lost the title race on goal difference after finishing the season with the same number of points as eventual champions Dynamos. But the coach quit in a surprise move that will come as a shock to the Kugona Kunenge Kudada faithful as Chilumba seemed to be destined to stay at the club for much longer given too the financial stability which the club enjoys.

The club yesterday confirmed Chilumba’s departure for his homeland with assistant coach Tendai Chikuni being appointed caretaker coach just as he did when FC Platinum fired Gumbo last year.

Chikuni looks set to take charge of the team when they visit Motor Action in Harare next Wednesday at the resumption of the Premiership programme.

Chilumba, however, departs FC Platinum at a time when his charges have suffered a slump in form and had failed to win in their last four games, which saw them slip into fifth place and seven points behind leaders Bosso.

He is now set to be unveiled as the new coach at Kitwe side Power Dynamos and will replace Beston Chambeshi who has been fired and is being linked with a move to Botswana outfit Mochudi Centre Chiefs, while his assistant Hector Chilombo is wanted by Forest Rangers in Ndola.

In a statement attributed to FC Platinum president George Mawere yesterday, the Zvishavane moneybags said Chilumba has decided to “pursue his coaching career from home’’.

“FC Platinum Football club advises that it has agreed with immediate effect to release Tenant Chilumba as the first team coach following a request for his services by Power Dynamos of Zambia as well as that country’s football authorities where he serves as a member of the national team’s technical committee,” said Mawere.

Mawere paid tribute to Chilumba and said the coach had become a vital part of the club and was on course to challenge for the championship.

After finishing a close second behind Dynamos, FC Platinum had an indifferent season last year and ended the term in seventh place. But the club’s chiefs made it clear that they wanted to take another crack at the championship this year and felt Chilumba’s experience would stand them in good stead.

“Since joining FC Platinum, Chilumba had become an integral part of the club which he has assisted in ensuring that it remains a competitive top-flight team.

“However, demands for his services by his country’s national team have placed an overdue burden on his work schedule and made it impossible to continuously balance his frequent trips with the need to maintain the need for regular presence at the club,” said Mawere.

With champions Dynamos, Harare City and Chicken Inn having also eased into second, third and fourth places, the pressure was gradually mounting on FC Platinum to stem their slide and the club’s management appear to have to pointed to Chilumba’s divided attention as one of the major causes of their slump.

FC Platinum are also set to face the wrath of the Premier Soccer League’s disciplinary committee for the skirmishes which preceded the start of their encounter against Harare City at Mandava which ended 1-1.

Harare City coach Bigboy Mawiwi was the biggest victim of the alleged harassment by FC Platinum marshals with the Sunshine City Boys gaffer claiming he was sprinkled with urine.

Although the matter is now set for the PSL boardroom, much-travelled coach Mawiwi seems to have put behind him those troubles and turned his attention to the looming second half of the season.

Harare City, with 25 points, four behind Highlanders, will face Monomotapa at Rufaro next Thursday and Mawiwi believes that this year’s championship is unlikely to be a two-horse race as was the case in the last two seasons, predicting that more teams could be in the mix and could take the marathon to the wire.

At the moment, the league is on an international break but will resume with mid-week matches on June 19 before completing the first round of fixtures on June 23. Last year, the battle for the championship was race between DeMbare and Bosso as they both finished the season on 69 points while Chicken Inn were a distant third on 50 points.

In 2011, Dynamos ran neck-to-neck with FC Platinum and both teams finished on 58 points while Highlanders were seven points behind.

For the 2010 season, Motor Action pipped Dynamos on goal difference with the two sides  tied on 66 points while third-placed Highlanders had 57.

Mawiwi believes that this year’s championship will be open as more than two clubs could be heavily involved in the fight right until the last games of the season.

“Unlike last year when we had a two-horse race, this year’s championship could be very wide open.

“At the moment, the picture is not yet clear but it looks like we will have Highlanders, Dynamos, Chicken Inn, FC Platinum and ourselves in the race.

“It’s not going to be a two-horse race like in the previous seasons and I am sure it will go to the wire,” said Mawiwi.