DeMbare snub blessing in disguise for Tonderayi Ndiraya

Sport
It’s barely been two years since Ngezi Platinum Stars gaffer Tonderayi “Stanza” Ndiraya took up his first top flight football responsibility at Harare giants Dynamos.

It’s barely been two years since Ngezi Platinum Stars gaffer Tonderayi “Stanza” Ndiraya took up his first top flight football responsibility at Harare giants Dynamos.

BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE

Tonderayi Ndiraya

For someone who then spent the first half of 2016 without a job, Ndiraya’s resume can make a lot of veteran coaches green with envy, with the way he has turned Ngezi into a force in just a year bespeaking of a mentor destined to scale dizzy heights.

Being dumped by the club he had served for half his life — Dynamos — after leading them to a second place finish and a Cup final, albeit on an interim basis, proved to be a blessing in disguise for the youthful coach.

He has since won the Chibuku Super Cup and represented the country at the Caf Confederation Cup with Ngezi, arguably playing the best football in the league and among the favourites for the Premiership title.

Dynamos are probably cursing under their breath for not giving Ndiraya a contract last year, opting for the highly temperamental Portuguese Jorge Silva.

Sports World caught up with Ndiraya as he reflected on the fruitful start to his coaching career as well as his one year as Ngezi coach.

“The Dynamos leadership gave me an opportunity to lead the biggest team on the land at such a young age and that gave me belief that I can do well in my coaching anywhere in Zimbabwe,” the former Dynamos midfield maestro said.

“This [Ngezi Platinum] is the only full-time head coach position I have had in my career. I was a caretaker coach at Dynamos FC in 2015 for less than six months. But honestly, I never thought I would have instant success but I had so much belief that I would save Ngezi from relegation and that’s why I took up the challenge.”

The list of the teams Ndiraya has coached so far will include Prince Edward, St Georges College, Gateway High School as well as six years as assistant and junior coach at Dynamos.

“I also give credit to the mentors I worked under; they all told me that I had great potential and that I would do well when I became my own man,” continued Ndiraya.

“The man who introduced me to top-flight coaching was Elvis Chiweshe back in 2009 and later Lloyd Mutasa when he took over in 2011. He [Mutasa] would ask us to help at first team training before training the juniors. When Kalisto Pasuwa took over that same year, he chose me as his assistant. I learnt a lot from him as well. We won a lot of titles and cups and that’s when I amassed most of my coaching experience,” revealed the 40-year old gaffer.

His first major break would come in 2015 when David Mandigora was appointed the head coach at Dynamos.

“When David Mandigora took over in 2015, he also chose me as his assistant. He gave me so much knowledge and when I took over from him on an interim basis, it wasn’t too difficult for me to lead. I am indebted to all the coaches I have mentioned above and would attribute what I have achieved so far at Ngezi to the knowledge they imparted in me over the years we worked together,” he said.

Ndiraya’s achievements during his short stint at Dynamos divided opinion, sparking debate on whether he was a good coach or not, and even the Glamour Boys had doubts.

But in just 13 months, he has managed to make league title contenders out of the Mhondoro-Ngezi-based side after leading them to the Chibuku Cup triumph in their debut season in the premiership.

Warriors’ interim coach Norman Mapeza drafted Ndiraya into the technical team for the Africa Cup of Nations home tie against Liberia back in May.

Now a cult hero in the rural setting of Mashonaland West, Ndiraya shares his experience of how he transformed Ngezi into a force to reckon with.

“The most humbling thing I have witnessed in my football life is the way Clifton Kadurira agreed to work under me after having led the team from Division Two into the PSL [Premier Soccer League]. The club’s decision-makers gave us tremendous support and created a conducive working environment which gave me room to introduce my philosophy and the rest as they say is history,” he said.

After joining Ngezi during the mid-season transfer window, he beefed up the squad, bringing in Patson Jaure, Walter Mukanga, Kenneth Bulaji and Byron Madzokere.

“This group of players went on to add some steel to a team which had great potential and which needed some few players with PSL experience to become a big brand on the market,” he said.

“The winning of the Chibuku Cup against all odds helped confirm to all the doubters that a giant had been born. The team is in the championship matrix largely due to a strong foundation it laid in its first year in the top flight.”

Stanza, as Ndiraya is affectionately known, dismissed the notion that his team’s success was mainly hinged on the club’s financial muscle.

“Our club has financial stability but certainly doesn’t have as much financial muscle as many people want to portray. We are behind many teams in terms of remuneration but our management manages the club’s affairs well. Financial stability with no sound management policies will not bring the desired results. Ours is a case of team work involving all club structures,” he said.

Early success may be a sign of where Ndiraya is headed as a coach, considering his ambitions.

“My dream is to coach the national team one day and also coach in bigger and better leagues across the globe. I also want to further study sports science and improve our sport in the best way I can.”

Looking at the current season, Ndiraya opted for a modest target, making it into the top four, but obviously with one eye fixed on the title.

Ironically, Ndiraya is fighting for the title against his former team Dynamos, among others.

But his message to them [Dynamos] is simple.

“No hard feelings at all. Instead, I am very grateful for the coaching opportunity I got.”