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Mukudzei Chingwere Sports Reporter
NORMAN Mapeza’s job remains very safe despite FC Platinum’s early exit from the CAF Champions League. The Zimbabwean champions were this week booted out of the CAF Champions League by Angolan side Clube Desportivo Primero de Agosto, falling 1-2 at Mandava for a 1-5 aggregate loss.

Club chairman Evans Mtombeni said though Mapeza failed to achieve the objectives of the club in the African Safari, his job remains safe.

“It is disappointing that we are out, our objectives were clear and as a club we have always made our objectives clear,’’ said Mtombeni.

“In terms of CAF Champions League, we wanted to push, at least to reach the group stages. In 2012, we went out (in the first round) and in 2015, we went out of the preliminary round though it was the Confederation Cup.

“So it is disappointing that we are out again, but as a club, executive, technical department and players we have learnt a lot. We have failed to meet our objectives, the technical department has done their best, I think the technical department has done well than last season for giving us our first championship and the Castle Challenge Cup.

“I think they still have a lot to offer to the club in terms of the other objectives we have. Obviously this year we want to defend our title and win the other cup competitions that we have in the country.

“Definitely, the coaches are here and we expect them to give us more and these lessons, from the CAF Champions League, should help them achieve more than last year. The players we bought were supposed to help us have a cutting edge in the Champions League, we had brought them to play at a higher level and should do well in our league. We should be able to meet our local objectives.’’