The ManicaPost
Ray Bande Senior Sports Reporter
MUTARE City Rovers have given coach Taku Shariwa a five-match ultimatum in which he must produce at least 10 points or else face the axe.
The ultimatum which came into effect when Mutare City Rovers played against Highlanders on Thursday (yesterday), was made this week during one of the club executive’s weekly meetings at the Civic Centre.
The match against Tsholotsho on Sunday at Sakubva Stadium, which will be beamed live on pay per view station SuperSport, becomes the second match for Shariwa to produce the required 10 points after five matches.
Mutare City Rovers spokesperson, Clayton Masekesa, confirmed that a decision was reached to give Shariwa five matches to produce 10 points.
“Yes, it is a decision that was reached at among other decisions made to ensure that the team will not be relegated. My understanding of this decision is that we all have to support Shariwa and the team to produce those 10 points in the next five matches.
“Our mission as a club is to evade relegation and we can only do that if we show unity of purpose. The decision is not meant to put pressure on anyone, but to put in place measures that we avoid relegation,” said Masekesa.
When contacted for comment, Shariwa shot down the idea of the ultimatum, saying it is the work of some elements he exposed within the club.“There is no ultimatum. When I came they asked me to do damage control until the window period. We now have a better team although we could have brought better players if the club had cash.
“I had to convince the new guys and one can attest that we now have a different team. I am fully aware that there are people who want me out because I exposed the rot in the team. Some who were stealing the little that is there for the team especially when we travel for away matches.
“There are some who wanted to second players or to influence my team selection, but I stood my ground. They (Mutare City Rovers) asked me to save the team and all they can do is to support me.
“They have a task to scrounge for resources to give to players so that we can have positive results. I cannot meet targets without improved bonuses for players.
“The only target I know is to save the team from relegation of which I think we are now in the right direction,” he said.
However, the decision is likely to draw criticism from pundits given that Shariwa recently added a few players of his own choice during the transfer window after inheriting a squad that was set up by his predecessors.
Shariwa, who joined the then winless City Rovers after three matches into the season, has so far managed to win three matches, drew the same number of matches and lost the rest in the 13 matches he has been in charge of Gusha bhora.
The Mutare municipality team is second from the basement of the Castle Lager Premiership table and is in real danger of going back to play Division One football next season.
Gusha Bhora failed to utilise a perfect opportunity to reduce the seven-point gap between them and fourth from bottom Chapungu when Rovers settled for a two-all stalemate against the Gweru airmen at Sakubva Stadium in their last Saturday’s encounter.
Sunday presents them with yet another chance to swap positions with Tsholotsho, only if they can get the better of their fellow relegation candidates at Sakubva Stadium.
“It is sad that teams have been complaining about biased officiating and we can only pray and hope that we will also not be subjected to it.
“We need to swap positions with Tsholotsho and playing against them here at Sakubva is an advantage to us. We really need to maximise on that,” said Shariwa.
Saturday: Bulawayo City FC v Hwange FC (Barbourfields Stadium 1500hrs); ZPC Kariba FC v Ngezi Platinum Stars FC (Nyamhunga Stadium 1500hrs); Chicken Inn FC v Chapungu FC (Luveve Stadium 1500hrs); Caps United FC v FC Platinum (National Sports Stadium 1500hrs SS):
Sunday: Triangle United FC v Highlanders FC (Gibbo Stadium 1500hrs); How Mine FC v Harare City FC (Luveve Stadium 1500hrs); Border Strikers FC v Dynamos FC (Dulivhadzimo Stadium 1500hrs); Mutare City Rovers FC Vs Tsholotsho FC (Sakubva Stadium 1500hrs SS).
