Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
FOUR games, no win and the pressure is beginning to mount for ambitious newboys Scottland.
The pressure of coaching a star-studded team is always difficult to wish away, especially when results are not coming as expected.
On Sunday, Scottland came under renewed pressure after losing more ground in the championship race with the defeat to giants CAPS United.
But Tonderai Ndiraya is not losing sleep yet, despite his team falling 12 points behind log leaders MWOS in the title race.
Some frustrated supporters called for a reshuffle of the technical team, while club owner Scott Sakupwanya could not wait for the referee to blow the final whistle in the 0-1 defeat to CAPS United.
“Naturally, when this happens, everyone is sad. We all hoped to win. But this is football. This is part of the game. This is probably the process. We have lost,” Ndiraya said after the game.
“The good thing is we have quite a number of experienced players in our squad. They know how to handle these situations. There is nothing we can do besides forgetting about this game and focus on the future.
“In football, the next game is the most important one. Already, we have what I have always said. It is 24 hour-rule.
“We go home and think about this. Forget it. Sleep over it. Then start focusing on the next match,” said Ndiraya
Scottland have failed to win in their last four games after drawing with GreenFuel and Triangle and then losing to TelOne and CAPS United.
They have now dropped into fifth place, albeit with a game in hand. But, while they have been dropping points, their rivals in the title race MWOS have been winning three games and losing one.
The Norton side now sit on 40 points. Scottland are on 28 and are hoping to be awarded maximum points from the abandoned match against Chicken Inn.
Scottland were touted among the title favourites when the season started following a significant investment into both office and playing personnel by the club owners. The club also set the pace by acquiring latest equipment and technologies.
But their “flamboyance” has also won them a fair share of adversaries, especially in Harare where supporters often form alliances to support every team that plays against them. This had come with added pressure on the team.
Ndiraya also refused to draw comparisons with Lloyd Mutasa’s MWOS, as the two teams, which were rivals from Division One football last year, have taken the Premiership by storm.
“Of course, Scottland as a club has brought some competition to the league despite it being a new team in the league. I don’t know what happened last year,” said Ndiraya.
“For some reason, people are probably supporting every team we are playing against.
“Some of them are clearly stating those things. We were not there. We are new to this team. We are not thinking about that at all. I think what is important is for us to focus on the job at hand. What we can control as the coaches and the players is what happens on the pitch.
“So far, I think we have done our best to control those things and focus on football. I think Scottland is a new team despite the investment that was done. Naturally, when such an investment is done, the pressure then gets more and more.
“Naturally, we are a small team with big name players. But that doesn’t make us a big team. We are new in the league.
“We are still learning the ropes. But like I have said, in learning the ropes, we want to win. We have won games before. We continue to work hard so that we win.
“I think the pressure really is about our rivals who are doing very well. Naturally when your rivals do very well, we came together from Division 1, you are also expected to do very well.
“But football is not like that. Football is not like that. It’s a process. There are still so many games to play. We follow the process and see what happens in games to come,” said Ndiraya.
