As he took the first step on the podium, his mood and facial expression changed in the blink of an eye owing to a vivid recollection of a tragic event in the not-too-distant past.
Chilumba broke into tears before receiving the award from Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) vice-president Ndumiso Gumede. It did not take a minute for the people who attended the colourful ceremony to know what had hit Chilumba on that beautiful evening.
With his right hand on his face wiping tears, he proudly held his Coach of the Year trophy on his left hand as he was led back to his seat. Chilumba missed the flight that killed all the members of the Zambian national soccer team that crashed off Gabon in April 1993. So as he rose to receive his award the tragedy hit the back of his mind and he broke into tears.
“I had joined the team three years earlier in 1990, so we had become a family and the tragic crash took away my brothers,” said Chilumba. Chilumba joined Hwange Football Club in January 2010 and patiently started building a formidable team for the coalminers.
The coalminers finished fifth last season before moving one step up the ladder this season, an achievement that has not happened at Chipangano in a number of years. They were rewarded by a chance to represent Zimbabwe in the Confederations Cup together with Motor Action.
Speaking about his preparations for the African safari, the veteran coach said he only needed two more players in his existing squad. “I have a strong squad already but if I can get Masimba Mambare from Motor Action and Hardlife Zirekwi from Masvingo I will be fine. Give me Mambare, I will bring the Confederations Cup home. I have been watching that boy for a long time. He is exceptionally good,” Chilumba said.
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Contacted for comment on the possible move to Hwange, Mambare said chances were very high that he might be relocating to Hwange. “I have been in the capital for a long time. I think I have to grab this chance to play in the Confederations Cup.
My contract with the Mighty Bulls is expiring soon. I am happy to hear that the Hwange coach is after my services. I will respond by wearing a come-and-get-me tag,” Mambare said.
Chilumba might get another striking option in Farai Vimisayi who dumped the side for DeMbare two seasons ago but is now contemplating rejoining the club after a miserable stay at the Glamour Boys.
Chilumba’s rich football history
Tenant Chilumba has a rich football playing and coaching history which might see him rising to stardom in the near future. Born in 1974, Chilumba joined the Zambian national team at the age of 16 in 1990 alongside players like Derby Mankinka, Kelvin Chikwalakwala and scoring machine Godfery Chitawo.
During his stint with the team, he earned 65 national team caps scoring 21 goals while playing as an attacking midfielder. Chilumba then survived the tragic crash that hit Zambia national team in 1993 in Gabon after missing the flight.
He hung his boots in 2002 and went straight into coaching with an attachment at South Africa’s premiership side AmaZulu FC. “I stayed at AmaZulu for two years. I learnt a lot from my superiors before bouncing back to Zambia where I joined Prison Leopards in 2004,” he added.
In 2005 he was appointed head coach for Kabwe Warriors, one of the biggest teams in Zambian premier league. In 2006, after failing to withstand the heat in the big boys’ league, Chilumba packed his bags for Malaysia where he came out of retirement and started playing and coaching at the same time.
He was back again in his native country to take charge of another PSL club Zambia Young Arrows before migrating to Zimbabwe were he started building his empire at the colliery.
However, only time will tell whether Chilumba is really building an empire at Chipangano.
