MVUMA – The newly appointed coach for Swazi Premier Soccer League outfit Manzini Wanderers, Julius Chakupewa, is confident of getting silverware for his new club ahead of the new season which starts next week.
Chakupewa, who hails from Mvuma, is a former player for Masvingo United and Gutu Leopards, and is a licence holder of the Pro Coaching Course from Germany.
He signed a three-year contract in July with Manzini Wanderers coupled with a mandate of finishing in the top four and winning at least one cup.
Chakupewa has since added to his squad the duo of Frank Makarati and Tafadzwa Jaravani from Boarder Strikers.
Speaking to TellZim News, Chakupewa said he was ready to face the challenge in the Swaziland Premier Soccer League race.
“I am ready for the challenge. Currently I have set up a decent team which features Makarati and Jaravani ahead of the season which is about to start.
“As part of the preparations, we played in the Swaziland Telkom Charity Cup but unfortunately, we lost in the finals to current league holders, Royal Leopards. We also took part in the Castle Challenge Cup which we lost to Mbabane Highlanders in the semi-finals but now we aim to achieve better,” said Chakupewa.
Chakupewa started his football career in Mvuma playing in division 2 for Athens Mine and moved to Harare where he joined Hackney FC in 1996 before leaving the club for Morgenster Teachers College to train as a teacher.
He briefly featured for Masvingo United in 1999 and was later lured by Saul Chaminuka to join Guni United where he played together with Lloyd Hlala, the late Malonga Sithole, Ernest Kwangari and former Warriors player Zvenyika Makonese.
They however failed to progress to the PSL after the chance was snatched by Shabanie Mine by a single point.
Chakupewa’s career could not last long as expected after he picked a serious knee injury while playing for Gutu Leopards which forced him to put an end to his career as a player, marking the beginning of his coaching journey.
He started the coaching job in 2012 in Mvuma and successfully led the Nqobizita Mlilo Academy in Central Region Division 1 and later left for Germany where he attained a pro coaching course licence.
Together with former Una Una player Joe Kwangwari, they embarked on a football development project which identified 23 players who include Harare City’s Jerry Chipangura, Derwin Phiri of Triangle FC, Tafadzwa Chidewu and Ajax Cape Town player Thomas Chidewu.
He won the Bob 92 Cup and the Zimbabwe Academics Championships this year while leading the technical bench of Cornway College in Harare.
