Lovemore Dube
ARENEL coach Farai Tawachera believes he is ready for the big teams having served his apprenticeship with a number of the so-called smaller Premier Soccer League (PSL) clubs.
Tawachera had football fans in awe as he collected 30 points from 20 matches and nearly served Bulawayo City from relegation.
Poor remuneration and incentives also coupled with an inability to sign big names, resulted in the team being relegated.
But it is in the last 20 games that he came on board and nearly guided the team to safety using relatively unknowns then such as Lukas Sibanda, Brighton Makopa, Elshaamar Farasi, Nyasha Gurende, Cedric Chinomona, Genius Mutungamiri and Dominic Jaricha are playing regularly in the Premiership this season.
In an interview with Zimpapers Sports Hub on Thursday evening, Tawachera said he relishes a position on the dugout at one of the major clubs in the country.
“Definitely, yes. I would like to measure myself to see if I am good, all my teams have been struggling financially,” said Tawachera — a Caf A certificate holder.
He declared himself ready and believes he has learnt enough to give him the guts to sit on the dugout of well-resourced teams having been with Tsholotsho, Quelaton, Bulawayo Chiefs and Arenel whom he believes will survive relegation.
Of his time with Bulawayo City: “That was the best, yes there was nothing in terms of finances, it was a hell of a good time with Bulawayo City, I enjoyed it, I liked it,” said Tawachera who beat Dynamos in his fight and was robbed of Premiership football by blatant officiating in a match against CAPS United in Harare.
The journeyman started his football apprenticeship as a coach in Gwanda where he played for ZRP Gwanda and CMED in the Zifa Southern Region Division One and Central Region League.
He started coaching in 2005 when he retired from playing to concentrate on his job as a clerk of court.
He was assistant coach to one Makarabha at Gwanda Prison FC who changed to CMED Justice and guided the less resourced club to eighth position on the log equipped with his Level One certificate attained under Nelson Matongorere and Bennedict Moyo.
“It was during those tough days. I was secretary and coach of the club, we managed to fulfil all our fixtures, the locals supported the team in 2007,” said Tawachera.
In 2008 he was part of the pioneering group of teams in the Central Region.
“We were struggling with no resources and would travel to as far as Gokwe and managed a top-five finish that year,” he said.
In 2011 he coached Blanket Mine outside Gwanda Town who finished 11th and were in the top four in 2012.
“I remember we beat Chapungu in Gwanda and there was trouble. Sadly after three months in 2012 I was transferred to Chipinge where I became Lovemore Mapuya’s assistant at Gazza Gunners,” said Tawachera.
In 2013 Tawachera was back in Bulawayo and got a job at Quealaton owned by Tawanda Ruzive.
The club had been relegated and he emphasised on the coach assembling a youthful side.
“I had players like Zibusiso Dambo, Toto Banda, Velile Siziba, Moodley Njeleza and Farai Chirava. There was a lot of young talent and fierce competition from teams like New West, Bantu Rovers, Technosphere and Fairbridge,” said Tawachera.
When the Bulawayo Chiefs coach, Thulani Sibanda moved to Black Mambas in 2014, Tawachera was engaged and worked under Peter Manoti.
“One of the best coaches I ever worked with,” said Tawachera of Manoti.
He had Wallace Magalane now with FC Platinum, Ian Nyoni who is at CAPS United, Mkhululi Moyo, Lindelani Ncube and finished second with the crucial match that meant they lost out having been a loss to Agent Sawu’s Ntabazinduna Prison.
When Thulani Sibanda returned to the club in 2015, Tawachera went on to work with Under-18s at Chiwororo owned by Lloyd Munhanga in Mpopoma.
“We won promotion with those young boys to Division Two. Three-quarters of those boys went on to play Premiership and Division One football,” said Tawachera.
In 2016 he was offered a chance to work with Lizwe Sweswe and the rest is history.
“My breakthrough came in when I was invited by my brother Sweswe, brother I am what I am because of you. The guy is a good teacher, and takes time to listen, he is not the guy who says he is head coach, he listens to you, he will give you feedback, he does not make a decision because he is boss, just like him I like to listen,” said Tawachera.
Asked how he juggles his day time job and football, he said that needs a lot of commitment on either side for one to conquer.
“It needs a lot of commitment and a lot of drive from within yourself. After 3pm I go to training after training I go to the office. At times I miss my family. I am the first one at work in the morning,” said Tawachera.
He said being a clerk of court helps him in football as he has learnt to deal with different characters and situations.
Tawachera was born in Mudzi in Mashonaland East Province on 6 September 1973 and attended Mzezuru primary and secondary schools.
He would play for Otrick Spares in the lower division leagues in Bulawayo during the holidays.
He was an attacking right link, the old Number 8 and was in the same team with Collin and Kid Nyambiya playing under Bongani Mafu and former Zimbabwe Saints striker Richard “Gwesela” Ndlovu who was player/coach when the former left.
In Bulawayo he says he grew up in Pumula East, a suburb popularised in sport by East Rovers whom he followed as his local heroes.
It was during the days when Oscar Ncube and Mtshumayeli Mbewe were on fire before they left for South Africa where they guided Alberton Callies to the Smirnoff Cup contested by over 1 000 clubs.
He said they were inspirational figures in the suburb.
When he moved to Harare Polytechnic in 1993, Tawachera played in the Northern Region Division League.
After studying purchasing and supply he found a place to study at the Judicial College and his first assignment was to serve in Gwanda and that is where it all began for him in coaching.