ALWYN MABEHLA
IN his heyday, Takesure Chiragwi was an unassuming fullback who rose through the ranks at CAPS United to establish himself at the Harare giants before several stints at fellow Premiership sides.
I mostly remember him playing for Shooting Stars and Kiglon before calling time on his playing career.
While he never really established himself either in the Zimbabwe national team or the club scene, Chiragwi is on the cusp of writing his own piece of history with ambitious Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Ngezi Platinum Stars.
But, before we go there, who remembers that Chiragwi was actually a part of the 2004-5 title-winning CAPS United side, but was overshadowed by the likes of Josephy Kamwendo, Cephas Chimedza, Quincy Antipas, Lloyd Chitembwe and Limited Chikafa?
Since hanging up his boots for a role in the dugout, Chiragwi has been a journeyman of sorts, with coaching spells at Shabanie Mine, DC Academy, Flame Lilly – in between a stint in Eswatini side Mhlume Peacemakers.
His rise to become the substantive Ngezi Platinum Stars head coach is entirely dramatic and points more to fortune.
Chiragwi arrived at Madamburo as an assistant to Rodwell Dhlakama in 2019, but Roddy would leave the side in a huff on the eve of the 2022 season.
It left the former CAPS United fullback to take charge in Ngezi on interim basis.
A few months later, Madamburo roped in former Zimbabwe captain Benjani Mwaruwari as their substantive head coach, with Chiragwi once again relegated to an assistant role.
As if the heavens had it in for him, Chiragwi survived the guillotine that fell upon Mwaruwari, who lasted just 13 games before he was shown the exit door.
The expensive experiment that came with Ngezi Platinum hiring the former Portsmouth and Manchester City forward had become something of a norm at the Mhondoro side, whose coaching turnover since their promotion has been nothing short of a shock.
The Platinum miners have an insatiable appetite for success and their shoo-in coach must have been one from the heavens themselves!
Their patience in retaining Chiragwi seems to be heading to a maiden title. If you are a neutral, Ngezi totally deserves it. They have not been so patient, but they have put in the investment, and the professionalism – a rarity in Zimbabwean football.
With only seven games to go before the curtain comes down on this year’s Castle Premiership, Chiragwi looks set to lead the platinum miners into dreamland.
They have an eight-point lead over second-placed Dynamos, Zimbabwe’s most successful club.
When he was appointed substantive head coach at Madamburo, Chiragwi knew he had to swim or sink. But the football gods who kept him at the side when the Dhlakamas and the Mwaruwaris were leaving are still smiling on him.
And he is a young coach, too, which makes me kind of biased.
For now, Ngezi simply have to win their remaining games and, after a seven-year toil in the Premiership that has seen six coaches, a PSL title could be heading to the Baobab Stadium for the first time.
