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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

COACH-LESS CAPS United have adopted a stop-gap measure by giving unheralded Tonderai Marume the reins to lead the side in their opening Castle Lager Premiership league match of the season.

The Green Machine take on ZPC Kariba at Nyamhunga this afternoon.

The five-time league champions sacked coach, Darlington Dodo, and his entire backroom staff, this week.

Makepekepe are eyeing club legend Lloyd Chitembwe for another dance at the club, with his contract at Harare City set to expire next month.

But, negotiations have taken longer than expected.

Indications are that Marume — who has been training the team — could be in charge of today’s game only before a new regime takes over.

There were still hopes last night that negotiations with Chitembwe, and his employers at Harare City, could be concluded in time for the coach to travel to Kariba today.

Even if he does, he is unlikely to sit on the bench and might just use the trip to take a closer look at his player.

Chitembwe won three league titles with the Green Machine, as a player, and returned to lead the club to glory, as coach, in 2016.

He is the most decorated Makepekepe son, in the history of the club, and has been involved, in all the four league titles they have won since Independence.

CAPS won only two games, in 10 outings, in the Chibuku Super Cup.

Ironically, one of the victories was against ZPC Kariba, in the last Group One match of the tournament at Baobab, two weeks ago.

But, the result could not save Dodo from the axe.

He has always carried the burden of how the Green Machine self-destructed, in the final two games, of the 2019 season.

The Green Machine had all the aces in their pack, with 58 points, two ahead of eventual winners FC Platinum, going into the last two games, of the campaign.

Somehow, they imploded at Ngezi Platinum, where they lost 2-3, before succumbing to a 0-1 defeat to FC Platinum in the decider, at the National Sports Stadium.

Marume once coaches Shooting Stars and had a stint in Botswana at Notwane FC.

He is regarded as a close lieutenant of Chitembwe.

With the intense heat expected in Kariba, CAPS United know that they have to play really well, to win the match.

They have a fairly good squad, which Warriors team manager, Wellington Mpandare, rates as the strongest in the domestic Premiership.

Their biggest Dynamos have been an oasis of stability, since new sponsors Sakunda Holdings came on board, and transformed their welfare.

They begin their quest tomorrow against unpredictable Yadah Stars, at the National Sports Stadium, today.

DeMbare are enjoying sound financial backing from Sakunda Holdings, who have poured in US$5.3 million, in a three-year sponsorship deal.

Highlanders are also part of that stable and some CAPS United legends who have been pleading for the Green Machine, the country’s third biggest club, to be included in that deal.

“I think it is also fair that CAPS United be considered for a similar sponsorship, even at a lower scale than the other two, because they are a big part of local football,’’ one of the Green Machine legends, who chose not to be named, said.

“We are pleading with the sponsors, through various channels and people, and we hope they will consider us because we also have millions of fans in this country.’’

DeMbare have promise by going on an 11-match unbeaten run in the Chibuku Super Cup.

Bosso, though, were booted out at the quarter-final stage.

Their coach Mandla Mpofu told reporters at the club’s press conference they are looking to get things right, when they begin their campaign against Black Rhinos, at the National Sports Stadium, this afternoon.

“As a club, we were disappointed that we could not proceed to the semi-finals [of the Chibuku Super Cup,’’ he said.

“I’m just happy that we qualified for the quarter-finals, which gave us time to prepare for our league (campaign), which is starting this weekend against Black Rhinos.

“Everyone is back at training.

“Silla (Adrian), who was injured for the past week is back, he is fully fit and part of the team that travels to Harare.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have Andrew Mbeba who picked up a head injury after colliding with FC Platinum goalkeeper (in the quarter-finals).It’s going to be a marathon season but I think we have  prepared ourselves very well as a team to go out there and compete.’’

Fixtures

Today: FC Platinum v Tenax (Mandava), ZPC Kariba v CAPS Utd (Nyamhunga), Chicken Inn v Cranborne Bullets (Luveve), Black Rhinos v Highlanders (NSS), Ngezi Platinum Stars v Bulawayo City (Baobab)

Sunday

Dynamos v Yadah (NSS), Bulawayo Chiefs v Triangle (Luveve), Manica Diamonds v Whawha (Sakubva)