28 Aug 2019

Newly appointed Tafic Sporting Club coach, Saul Chaminuka will have to perform miracles as he guides the recently promoted outfit into the premiership.

The Zimbabwean journeymen will have to hit the ground running in order to achieve set targets on their return from the Debswana First Division North League.

The Machimenyenga Boys, who have registered 10 players in the just ended transfer window, have unveiled ambitious targets which they believe will be key to their survival in the elite league.

 Club chairperson, Carlos Sebina boldly proclaimed in a press conference this week that the Ghetto Boys were aiming for a top eight finish. The club also unveiled new players and their new kit for the 2019/20 season.

 He also said since a majority of their players were below the age of 22, the club desired to see them earning selection to junior national teams with a target of a semi-final finish in the FA cup.

 If they survive their first season in the elite league, Sebina said they would target a top four finish in their second season and challenge for the championship in the third year.

This is no small feat and the coach, who holds a CAF A license and has had stints with top tier teams in his home country, will have to marshal his troops into a well-oiled machine to overcome the rigours of the premier league.

 Chaminuka comes to Tafic from Mbabane Highlanders and has previously coached Caps United. He was at some point the assistant coach of his country’s national team. While he brings a solid reputation, it is his campaign in the local top tier that will determine his future.

The club chairperson also explained that preparations for the upcoming season had been going well, guided by compliance with club licensing requirements.

 Club licensing, he added, required clubs to have structures occupied by qualified people. As a way of complying, Sebina explained that they had to redeploy the head coach and assistant who won them promotion from the first division to their development sides.

 He also said they had complied with almost all the requirements except the submission of audited financial reports.

 “Auditing your books of accounts with reputable firms requires close to P45 000 and currently the team is still looking for money to complete this process,” he asserted.

Sebina also explained that in the past they did not have a development side. He said they intend to groom youngsters who would later be integrated into the senior team. In their quest for a new coach, the chairperson noted that they were looking for someone who was inclined towards youth development.

He also noted that they had signed a lease agreement with the city council for the use of Leseding Grounds for training purposes.

In so far as partnerships are concerned, Sebina said they worked with the Francistown Clinic for medical tests, Progressive Physiotherapy clinic, and had also partnered with Cresta Thapama and Adansonia Hotels where they hosted team events such as awards ceremonies and press conferences.

“We have signed a two year technical sponsorship with apparel supplier, Dlala and have now started advertising space on our jersey,” he explained.

The Tafic chairperson also informed the media that the club had engaged both the Botswana Football Association and Football Union Botswana (FUB) on player welfare.

 On other developments, he asserted that they wanted to outsource the team’s marketing functions, sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Highlanders Football Club of Zimbabwe, and that they were in talks with a team in the UK for a working relationship.

Tafic, Sebina explained, would continue to exercise caution and be mindful of their wage bill.

 On other issues, he explained that their technical team would be engaged in data collection of all their players so as to profile them.

 Chaminuka said he was thankful for the opportunity to coach Tafic. He said it was crucial that the team survived and promised that they would be competing for everything on offer.

 “I believe I can do the job with the necessary support,” he added. 

 Tafic begin their campaign in the top flight this Friday at the Francistown Sports Complex against Orapa United. Ends