How former Man City star Mwaruwari has fared in his first coaching job
Former Jomo Cosmos and Manchester City forward Benjani Mwaruwari took on his first coaching job exactly four months ago. Armed with a Uefa A License, a level below the Uefa Pro, which allows holders to be head coaches of youth teams up to age 18, reserve teams for top-flight clubs, and men’s professional second-tier clubs, he found himself in the dugout of a Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League club Ngezi Platinum.
The club had to get the former Warriors captain exemption from the Zimbabwe Football Association to coach in the top flight. Mwaruwari, together with former Kaizer Chiefs midfield grafter Tinashe Nengomasha, took on the challenge.
Nengomasha serves as manager while ‘The Undertaker’, as Mwaruwari was affectionately known during his playing days, is the head coach.
But how has the man whose 16-year professional career took to Switzerland, France and England fared in his first 13 games since being announced as Ngezi mentor on 29 March 2022?
THE RESULTS
Three wins
1-0 away to ZPC Kariba
4-0 at home against Tenax
3-0 at home to Bulawayo City
Six draws
1-1 against Chiefs
0-0 against Dynamos
1-1 against Black Rhinos
0-0 against Manica Diamonds
1-1 against Highlanders
2-2 Caps United
Three losses
0-1 to Harare City
0-1 to Whawha
0-3 to Herentals
0-1 to Yadah
In his first 13 games, the former Warriors captain has collected 15 points out of a possible 39. Although Benjy, as some call him, was a top striker during his days, his team has struggled in front of goals. They have only scored 11 goals in 11 matches while letting in five.
They are currently in eighth place with 30 points after 22 games. Former Chippa United coach, Norman Mapeza’s FC Platinum, leads the race with 47 points with eight games left before the end of the season.
Ex-AmaZulu mentor Joey Antipas’ Chicken Inn is in second place, trailing FC Platinum by six points.
A football commentator and journalist in Zimbabwe, Buhle Ncube, believes his most significant assignment at the club is a cultural reset.
“The challenge Benjani is facing is that the Ngezi Platinum team had a culture of helicopter football. Benjani is introducing a different type of culture to the club. For them to adapt, it needs an entire season or two.
“In my observation, they are gradually adapting, but they don’t have endurance which is now a question of fitness and conditioning. I don’t know if the club will be patient with him. He needs to start winning games,” Ncube told FARPost.
After Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Yadah, Mwaruwari, who also turned out for Bidvest Wits and Chippa United, admitted he desperately needed to start winning games.
“If things are not working, they have the right to complain. The same supporters, if we start winning, will be on our side. I feel for them. In future, we will work so hard so that we can be together,” Mwaruwari said in a post-match interview.
The 44-year-old replaced former national youth team coach Rodwell Dhlakama at Ngezi and set himself a target of a fourth-place finish.
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