leeroy mupariri
Zimpapers Sports Hub
HERENTALS coach Paul Benza says he would rather continue concentrating on improving himself and his team rather than looking at what would have been.
He missed out on the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Coach of the Month award for November, which some felt he thoroughly deserved.
Benza was among the favourites for the prize after winning two games, drew and lost once as he led the Students to a strong fifth place finish, the best they have ever attained since their promotion into the league six years ago.
But the November crown went to Ngezi Platinum Stars gaffer Takesure Chiragwi, who posted two wins with the other games including an outstanding fixture win against Dynamos being supervised by his deputy Kumbirai Mutiwekuziva as the former Shabanie Mine mentor was taking national team duties.
Unfortunately, the selectors overlooked that and for the first time in the season, the Coach of the Month award was not won by a coach with the highest number of points posted for the particular period.
But Benza says he is not so much concerned about the individual gongs.
“I didn’t really got to think about that. I am not someone who pays so much attention into these individual prizes which are voted for.
“I mostly concentrate on improving myself and my team, individual player by individual player, trying to see how I can get value out of them all,” said Benza.
“I congratulate whoever wins these individual awards because look, these are voted for and I am also a voter.
“So to be honest, I do not really invest my focus on the individual prizes.
“I just believe I didn’t do enough and I will have to improve if ever I entertain hopes of getting an individual prize.
“It’s that simple. I need to work more and improve the team which should also work hard to keep on progressing northwards.”
Benza posted some famous results including a stunning 1-0 victory over eventual champions Simba Bhora to temporarily freeze their chances last month.
They also finished the season as the best team in Harare ahead of Yadah, CAPS United and Dynamos.
Ironically each of this trio has had a player or two voted amongst the Soccer Stars of the Year while they were totally ignored.
Yadah Stars’ Khama Billiat, Dynamos’ Emmanuel Jalai and the CAPS United pair of Kingsley Mureremba and Godknows Murwira made it on the calendar.
On the absence of players from his team on the list, Benza said;
“Like I have said, it’s a voting process and those who get the most points make it. That’s how it is.
“I thought some of my players played well enough to deserve a place on the calendar but well, it’s voting.
“We will never be bitter but we take everything as a learning curve. We will eventually reach the levels where we think our potential should take us.”
daniel chigunwe
