ZIMBABWE football coaches are generally passionate about the game and sometimes their seriousness often dominates the headlines. There, however, emerges the occasional maverick, the jester who makes one look forward to his post-match press conferences.
Zimbabwe has been blessed with such coaches, who defy conventions, maestro of mischief, and a master of the unexpected. The late Gishon Ntini and Moses Chunga.
It is however Chunga the former enigmatic Warriors midfield wizard whose tongue-in-cheek and witty humour have left administrators, fans and opponents alike in a state of bewilderment.
But the Razorman as Chunga is affectionately known, is a pragmatist who walks the talk and is very passionate about junior football development.
For a man who feels that Zimbabwe's football is 200 years behind, instead of just talking, he is trying to remedy the situation and narrow the gap by coaching the budding footballers along the correct lines using modern methods that prepare them for professional football beyond our borders.
Chunga through his academy in partnership with Harare City Football Club and Waddilove High School held a week-long holiday coaching programme at the famous Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfields, Harare.
The week-long camp focused on skills and technical aspects of the game for boys and girls from Under-10 all the way to Under-18.
Chunga's school holiday skills and technical training offered a unique opportunity for budding footballers in Zimbabwe to learn from one of the country's most celebrated sporting icons. With a career spanning over two decades, including stints with his boyhood club Dynamos locally and in Belgium for SC Eendracht Aalst.
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He possesses a deep understanding of the game and the skills required for success.
"Here in Zimbabwe we are still putting a lot of emphasis on man-marking, but if you look at international trends football has evolved, you can only make the grade in the major European leagues if you know how to mark space and anticipate better where the ball is going to be passed," Chunga told The Sports Hub.
"These are some of the technical aspects we were working on throughout the week."
Beyond the technical aspects, Chunga places great emphasis on character development and instilling important values in his young brigades.
"Discipline, teamwork, perseverance, and respect for the game are all integral components of my coaching philosophy. By fostering these qualities, at Moses Chunga Academy we are not only helping shape skilled footballers, but also nurture responsible individuals who can contribute positively to their communities," he added.
"We had about six players, who had 12 points and better at A level that came to train with us during this holiday camp thus continue to demystify that football is for those that are not academically gifted. Here at Moses Chunga Academy we advocate for the perfect balance between one pursuing academic and football excellence."
He explains why he loves unearthing unpolished gems.
"The best coaches must be deployed at this level where children are still learning, instead of trying to correct some technical deficiencies when they are playing at a professional level, that will not work," Chunga said.
"You will have half-baked footballers in our professional set up if we don't catch them young."
It was also a nostalgic moment for Chunga as training the future of Zimbabwe football at the Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfields took him back down memory lane.
"You see that ground over there (pointing to one just next to the Takashinga Cricket Club perimeter wall), that is where I did my trials for Black Aces, unfortunately they felt I was too young. Those days it was difficult to breakthrough into the first team as a young player," he said.
"But if you look at the state of the ground I played in as a teenager and that cricket field, which was part of the Zimbabwe Grounds, you can tell that these are now two different worlds. What is it that the cricket guys are doing correctly that we football people are failing to see and do?"
Chunga's holiday training programme went beyond simply teaching football skills. It encompassed a holistic approach that focused on physical conditioning, technical proficiency, tactical awareness, and mental resilience.
Harare City juniors coach Tarisai Kaseke said it was a marvel to watch the players committing themselves throughout the week.
"We were emphasising more on the technical aspect of the game because we want these guys to know how to give a good pass how to receive, a good receiving position, supporting angle that's why we were having small sided gabs and small grids the emphasis being pressing, position, receiving position, opening position, creating position and giving room to a teammate with football," said Kaseke.
The 58-year-old former Warriors captain scored 46 goals in 1986 on the domestic scene, a feat that is yet to be matched.
It is this stature and his accomplishments that continue to serve as a powerful source of inspiration for young footballers he coaches.
During the the just ended holiday training, he shared his own journey, including the challenges he faced and the triumphs providing a roadmap for success and motivate the next generation to dream big.
One such player who is already dreaming big is goalkeeper Vimbainashe Nyati from Gutu, a 16-year-old who learns at Rufaro High School.
"He shared his journey with us and told us about his humble beginnings, but he went on to play in Belgium," said Nyati.
"Attending this holiday training camp under his guidance has helped me to believe more in myself and want one day to play for my country and play professional football in Europe."
Harare City women's team goalie, Fungisai Kamuzondi (21) said the camp prepared her for her debut Premiership season as she is now confident on and off the ball.
"Before I came to this camp I was wasn't comfortable on the ball, but now I can start the attack from the back and I have improved my ball distribution," Kamuzondi said.
