By Martin Muleya.
Mutare, Zimbabwe. (News Of The South) – Mutare Premiership side Buffaloes are in a catch-22 situation ahead of their first Premier Soccer League match end of this month after the sudden departure of head coach Moses Chunga Tuesday.
Chunga did not appear for training yesterday and his phone was unreachable raising fears that the coach did not want another dance with the military men.
The veteran coach joined Buffaloes at the end of August after the departure of Luke “Vahombe” Masomere who had joined Bulawayo based How Mine, last year on a three month deal.
His mandate was to help the team survive relegation.
The army side survived relegation on the last day of the season courtesy of a 2-1 win over Hwange at Sakubva stadium and finished on the 10th position on the log standings.
Buffaloes organizing secretary Arnold Gatsi in a telephone interview confirmed that Chunga did not pitch up for training on Tuesday, though however he professed ignorance over his resignation.
“I am not sure if he has left the club because there is nothing official. I only heard that he did not come for training this afternoon (Tuesday) and we have been trying to call him. His phone however, is not reachable and now we hear that he is in Harare. Maybe by the end of the week we will have enough information,” said Gatsi.
Ndombolo as the military men are known by their fans in Mutare are facing severe financial challenges since they are no longer getting a budget for football from the Zimbabwe National Army and the side has lost a number of players during the off-season break.
Sources privy to the goings-on in the club revealed that Bambo had been on a collision course with the club’s leadership in recent weeks over lack of material support for preparations for the new season.
“Bambo’s contract expired on December 31 last year but after the leadership at Buffaloes sat down with him, he agreed to extend it this year, though he always complained of lack of support from the leadership,” revealed the source.
A soccer fan in Mutare also expressed disappoint at this development adding that his sudden departure will have negative implications on the morale of the team.
“This has come at a time when we least expected it from Chunga. This is so especially considering the calibre of coach he is, with the season fast –approaching definitely we expected better from the 2009 League winner, said Leo Chirau.
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