Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Mtulisi Mafa
3 July 2009
Harare — EAGLES have handed Bigboy Mawiwi the job as head coach at the club - just less than a week after they sent their promotion-winning coach Mike Madzivanyika packing - and the former Lengthens coach has already started work at his new team.
Mawiwi's arrival ends a week of searching by the Eagles decision-making hierarchy but also means that he has left a big void at the Happy People.
Eagles yesterday confirmed the latest development, and Mawiwi, on a year-and-half contract will take charge of his first match against Motor Action at Rudhaka when Premiership action resumes next weekend.
"The club's executive has assessed the team's performance in the first half of 2009 football season," read a statement released by Eagles' director of communications Simba Chatima.
"This assessment was carried out against a background of the club's own high standards as it works towards the building of a strong football brand and the promising football talent and structures that the club has invested in during a very difficult economic environment.
"The club took note and is appreciative of the work and achievements of the technical team to date.
"We are, however, also mindful of the difficult challenges that lie ahead in the second half of the season.
"This will be more challenging than the first half as teams fight for championship and or avoid relegation.
"This phase would require stronger tactical and psychological aspects of the game so as to give consistent performance and a strong finish in our first season in the premier league."
Chatima said the team lacked consistency during the first half of the season.
"Unfortunately, in the first half of the season the team failed to produce consistent performances.
"Whilst we were giving a good performance against the top four teams in the league, our performances against other teams, especially at our once feared home ground Rudhaka, left a lot to be desired.
"This does not augur well with our objective of building a strong football brand especially in our chosen town of Marondera and Mashonaland East at large.
"Given this assessment, the club executive has decided to make changes to the technical team and bring in new drive that will see through the club's next growth phase."
He confirmed their decision to part ways with Madzivanyika.
"The technical team of Mike Madzivanyika, Martin Ngwerume and Stephen Matinha have, regrettably, left the club.
"The club would like to thank the outgoing technical team for their work in laying a good foundation for the club's next growth phase.
"The club welcomes Bigboy Mawiwi as the new head coach and he will be assisted by former Zimbabwe and Dynamos goalkeeper Gift Muzadzi.
"Mawiwi is a respected and experienced coach, having guided two teams, Circle United and Gunners to promotion into the Premier League.
"He also coached Dynamos and in 2008, he reached the ABC Sup8r finals with Lengthens, a club he has also been coaching until his move to Eagles.
"He is aware of the club's high standards and expectations and is promising to live up to the challenge.
"The club executive is confident that he has the credentials to match both our immediate and future expectations
"The club executive and board of directors would also like to take this opportunity to wish Mawiwi and his new technical staff the best of luck in their endeavour to succeed at Eagles."
Lengthens confirmed that Mawiwi's assistant Mandla Masuku will now take over as head coach, but they would not clarify whether the appointment will be on either a caretaker or permanent basis.
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