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Ray Bande in MUTARE

THERE is a distinctly different vibe resonating these days throughout the Chisumbanje-Checheche community in particular and Chipinge district in general – specifically from football-loving cotton farming folks treading the sun-baked soils of the Lowveld.

For some, the top-flight league promotion of GreenFuel and the much-anticipated 2023 Castle Lager Premiership season kick-off feels like a breath of fresh air.  For others in this remote corner of Chipinge, it signals the dawning of a new day in a vast district that has never known Premiership football since Independence, not even in the relatively urban and central part of the district.

But for GreenFuel coach, Lloyd ‘’Samaita’’ Mutasa, it is certainly an opportunity to bring back the good old days and rekindle the spirit of success he once enjoyed back then as a player with the star-studded Tanganda in the provincial capital of Mutare.

Mutasa was a vital cog in the Tanganda class of ‘93, fondly referred back then as ‘’Tan Tan’’, which blazed a trail and went all the way to lift the Castle Cup that year.

Fast forward two decades later!

Even if he is in the same province and attached to the same game that gave him fame, so many things have changed for Mutasa.

Instead of displaying his God-given artistry in the middle of the park, Mutasa now finds himself hurling instructions from the dugout as the head coach of a club that has been christened ‘’Boys DzeNharo’’ or better still ‘’The Ethanol Boys’’.

The soft-spoken former Tanganda midfield genius wants trophies. “That is every coach’s wish (to win the league championship or a major silverware). We all want to win matches and win accolades. This is what I want for GreenFuel.

“I have no doubt that we will be labelled newboys, debutants and so on but these are just empty titles because most of us in our team have been there before. These are just names otherwise we have equally experienced players who have been there. We know the terrain. This is the reason I speak with confidence when I say we want trophies,” Mutasa told The Herald yesterday.

Mutasa spoke glowingly of his club’s financiers, saying they have the clout to provide what is needed for the club to achieve its goals.

“Everyone is highly motivated and raring to go. They (the players) want to stand up and be counted. We would want to see ourselves going beyond borders, we want accolades as indivisuals and as a club, the top goal scorer, the best goalkeeper and so on. We want the team to compete in all aspects of the game.

“I want to believe our institution has the capacity to take good care of the club. They have shown us that they understand the demands of the game and I have no doubt that things will go ahead smoothly,” said Mutasa.

He thanked the Checheche-Chisumbanje community for rallying behind the club.

“The Chisumbanje community is very supportive. They have shown us that they are way ahead of us in terms of ambition. They also understand that it is not just about football but an element of improving all aspects of development in the community, business as well as the social aspect of human development,” Mutasa said.

His club chairman, Fredson Moyo, weighed in saying: “The ultimate aim of the project is to develop the area through sport as a social responsibility initiative.

“We have people that have never watched Dynamos or Highlanders playing in this part of the country and this is an opportunity that they cannot miss.

“As an institution, we are here to give a platform for locals to showcase their talents. Yes, we have assembled a squad made up of players that have experience but in the long run we will have players that we nurture from the talent we have here in the Lowveld.

“This explains why we have local competitions such as a Billy Rautenbach Trophy for local teams.” The club has assembled a balanced squad of both youthful and experienced players in the likes of Obey Mwerahari, Ishmael Lawe, Chris Mverechena and Livingstone Genti, among others.

In fact, GreenFuel have made 17 new signings with the list of the new recruits comprising of seasoned players who once plied their trade in the Premier Soccer League and outside the country.

Former Highlanders captain, Bekithemba Ndlovu, has been roped in as an assistant coach. GreenFuel’s promotion into the Premier Soccer League has also set up an interesting Manicaland derby as they are set to battle it out with Manica Diamonds for the provincial bragging rights.