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Norman Mapeza

From Paul Mundandi in ZVISHAVANE
FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza was in bullish mood yesterday as his side prepared to travel to Harare to face in-form Black Rhinos with the miners seeking to keep their unbeaten start to the Castle Lager Premiership season intact.

Despite Rhinos enjoying a purple patch, losing once in four attempts, Mapeza who is also the Warriors caretaker coach said they would confidently approach their game against the soldiers.

“We are going to Harare with a positive mind and play our normal football and get a positive result. It is, however, not going to be an easy game because Rhinos are consistent.

“I will, however, miss my players Gift (Bello), Nqobizitha (Masuku) and Marshall (Mudehwe) who are all injured, but I think I have enough cover to do the job.

“I am going into the unknown because I last played a match there (Morris Depot) when I was in charge of Monoz in 2007. I still remember that the pitch is very heavy and the length is big. We have to adjust to the condition of the pitch during warm up,” said Mapeza.

Mapeza is enjoying his life in Zvishavane and is working hard to get positive results.

The former Zimbabwe captain also feels that the league is still at its infancy and with a game in hand and a lot of points to play for, his team is on the right track.

There is, however, a clique that is always against the coach and last Friday one of the members Douglas Tendekayi Zengeni an urban grooves singer wrote on his Facebook wall trying to mobilise some fans to turn against Mapeza if he fails to win against Rhinos.

Zengeni seems to have failed to make it in the music industry and is now finding comfort in travelling as one of the FC Platinum supporters, albeit on a mission against the coach.

But Mapeza’s focus is on his team and the assignment at hand.

“I am one coach who goes for a match looking for a positive result all the time. In fact the whole world there is no coach who goes to play a match to lose or for a draw.

“I am one coach who believes in winning. My assistant coaches and my players have a winning mentality, but in football you can win, draw or lose. We always want positive results for the institution,” said Mapeza.

Despite missing some players through injuries, Mapeza has enough depth in reserve and can still call on Shoko, Ian Nekati, William Stima, Agrippa Murimba and Hilary Bakacheza.