BREAKING NEWS: By Goodwill Zunidza

Relegation-threatened Premier Soccer League side Cranborne Bullets have parted ways with their long-reigning coach Nesbert Saruchera, New Ziana has learnt.

The army side, stuck at the basement of the Castle Lager PSL log for virtually the whole season to date, took the move, which does not come much as a surprise, recently.

Saruchera though guided the team in winning the Northern Region First Division title in 2021 and led them in surviving the chop in their first season in the top-flight league last year with some giant-killing exploits.
But the magic appeared to have deserted him this year as the 2 Brigade-based side could only manage six wins in 30 league matches for a paltry total of 26 points at the time of going to press.

In fact four of those points were bagged by new coaches Sammy Mavhenyengwa and Alvin Ndunduma who New Ziana understands have been assigned to take charge.

Saruchera was tight-lipped when reached for details but revealed to New Ziana that all was not well.
“I have not totally left. I actually don’t know what is exactly happening. I will have more details for you next week,” Saruchera said.

The soldiers still have a mountain to climb to avoid relegation despite their latest impressive results.
New coach Mavhenyengwa is a former Black Rhinos coach while Ndunduma, a Prince Edward School product, ended his playing career at Rhinos, having also played in Vietnam and for local sides Caps United and Motor Action.
Although it was difficult to locate the Cranborne Bullets management for finer details at receipt of the information, eyebrows had already begun being raised when Saruchera was missing from the bench in his side’s last two encounters.

The former Zimbabwe Under-23 left back is among a small elite group of talismanic coaches at the army sports department who has also mentored Black Rhinos and enjoyed success with them.

He is thought to be headed back to the pool awaiting further deployment at the other teams owned by the Zimbabwe National Army across the country.

Earlier this year Rhinos, the defence forces’ flagship side, jettisoned coach Stix Mtizwa and replaced him with veteran gaffer Saul Chaminuka.

Chauya Chipembere have since swapped places with Cranborne to go second from bottom courtesy of only one defeat in their last five matches which have yielded a win and three draws.