Chinyemba was unveiled as TAFIC head coach this week. He has twice promoted the club to the Premier League but immediately left on both occasions because he did not have the right credentials to occupy the position of coach in the elite league. He earned his eligibility to coach for the Premier League early this year after acquiring his CAF A coaching license. He was immediately roped in by Matebele FC on an interim basis and was released just before the end of last season. “I am a better coach because of TAFIC. They were my first major club in the country. I have always had the ambition to coach TAFIC in the Premier League.
want to repay the club for the faith it has always had in my ability,” Chinyemba said in an interview yesterday. “I have always said the opportunity for me to coach in the Premier League will come. It is about patience. The delightful thing is that the opportunity has been afforded to me by a club where I have always felt appreciated. I have a very strong connection with the club and its supporters. I also treat Francistown like my second home,” he said. Chinyemba is a highly regarded coach in local football. He has never gone two seasons without winning the league in lower divisions. Apart from twice promoting TAFIC to the Premier League, he has also helped promote Matebele to the elite league.
He also among others promoted Sua Flamingoes to the First Division North League (FDN). The Zimbabwean-born coach said he has been given a mandate to maintain the top eight position in the league, but he is hoping for more given the credentials of his team. “The calibre of players that I have found at the club is admirable. I am confident that we can even fight for the league honours. The club has energetic and young players. We will play a neat passing game which is the TAFIC way,” he said. Chinyemba will be assisted by highly rated coach, Thatayaone Sonny. Although he has never coached in the Premier League, Sonny has a proven track record of success in securing promotions.
In the last two years he has achieved two consecutive Premier League promotions. A few years prior, he also led Chobe United to promotion to the FDN. Additionally, as an assistant coach at Eleven Angels, Sonny played a key role in helping the club secure promotion to the Premier League three years ago. He, however, does not have the credentials to occupy the position of head coach in the Premier League.
