Rodwell Dhlakama

He was chased away from Ngezi High and looked for a place at Dondoshava Secondary School. Dhlakama narrated how a lady named Chipo Marunza, who was a shopkeeper in her father’s shop at Chitani gave him a $5 note (old currency) and pleaded with her father who was a driver to take him to Harare, which he did.

Rodwell Dhlakama then boarded the bus to Mutare but when it was found out that he had not paid while they were already in Nyazura, he was forced out and the crew took the $5.

Dhlakama had to complete the over 45 kilometres remainder of the journey on foot while he left his luggage on the bus. When he arrived in Mutare, his sister found him a place at Dangamvura High, though there were some difficulties, as he did not have a transfer letter from Dondoshava^[1]

Dhlakama enjoyed sporting afternoons at school from a young age. At school, he was a very good athlete. He was very quick over short distances which became an added advantage when he played soccer as a striker.^[2]

Qualifications

He is a holder of several coaching certificates and of the four levels of soccer coaching in Zimbabwe, he says he went through all four. He also did a FIFA Solidarity Course, hold an Olympic Committee Certificate for Football Coaches and British Eurospace Certificate for coaching. That is how far he went in terms of football education.

He is a qualified high school teacher, he started as a school coach in Shurugwi after qualifying from the Belvedere Technical Teachers' College with a Diploma in Education.^[2]

Career

Playing Career

He said of his playing career, cut short by an ankle injury: he played for a number of prominent teams at the time mainly in the Eastern Highlands. He played for Tanganda and Zupco Mutare. When he was 20 years he broke his ankle and that was the end of his playing career. But the injury did not take away his love for football.

Coaching Career

He took the Young Warriors to the Under-17 Africa Youth Championships in Algeria (2009) as well as qualifying for the group stages in the CAF Champions League as the head coach of the now defunct Monomotapa Football Club after eliminating giants such as ASEC Mimosas of Cote d’Ivoire, Ajax Cape Town of South Africa and Simba FC of Tanzania.

He was also successful in Swaziland. Until his appointment at Chapungu Football Club, he was head coach at airmen Blue Swallows who made an impressive start in the 2017 ZIFA Northern Region Division One League, amassing nine points from five matches and were just four points behind pacesetters Herentals Football Club.^[3]

Before his ascendancy at Monomotapa, Dhlakama had basically coached at all levels in youth football, craftily utilising his good rapport with young players from his teaching background.

He led the Midlands Under 20 side to the Peter Ndlovu Trophy in 1998 and in 2006 achieved National Youth Games success with the Midlands Under 20s.

He was duly rewarded, being given the national schools select side, which he led to two gold medals in three-nation tournaments featuring Malawi and Zambia.

Having cut his coaching teeth in the Midlands, it was fitting that his first job at club level is in the province.

He assisted Kwekwe Cables in a successful premiership play-offs campaign in 2001, helping out head coach, the late Nani Muchiwa.

Two years later as assistant to the late Lovemore Nyabeza, Chrome Stars were also promoted to the PSL.

In 2005 Zimasco United became the latest beneficiaries of his turnaround skills when they won promotion to Division One under his tutelage.

Ngezi Platinum FC

He was appointed Ngezi Platinum F.C. interim coach in September 2019 and managed to lead the team to a top 4 finish. After this good showing the team decided to give him the job on a substantive basis.^[4]

On 28 February 2022, it was announced that he had resigned as Ngezi Platinum Stars head coach after he was sent on forced leave earlier in the month.

ZPC Kariba

On 5 May 2022, Rodwell Dhlakama was appointed ZPC Kariba coach on an interim basis replacing Godfrey Tamirepi.^[5]

Black Leopards

Dhlakama was appointed Black Leopards coach in October 2022, taking over from coach Joel Masutha, who was suspended from his post following a string of poor results.

He signed a three-year contract with Leopards after leaving ZPC Kariba where he had a month left in his contract.^[6]

Dhlakama was demoted to be the senior coach following Johnny Ferreira’s arrival at the club. He then left the club and spent some time without a coaching job.

Green Fuel Football Club

On 22 April 2023, Green Fuel announced they had appointed Dhlakama as the head coach following the sacking of Lloyd Mutasa and Bekithemba Ndlovu.^[7]

Mutasa and Ndlovu were fired after they failed to achieve the ultimatum that had been set for them by the club before a 2-3 loss at home to Ngezi Platinum Stars on 22 April.

Teams Coached

• Kiglon
• Monomotapa,
• Shooting Stars,
• CAPS United Football Club
• Chapungu Football Club
• Green Mambas (Swaziland)
• Manzini Sundowns (Swaziland)
• Ngezi Platinum F.C.
• Black Leopards (South Africa)

Accolades

• 2019 Chibuku Super Cup Runners Up medal
• 2008 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League winner (With Monomotapa under Norman Mapeza)
• Premiership promotion with Kwekwe Cables
• Premiership promotion with Chrome Stars
• Central Region Division One promotion with Zimasco United
• Voted Coach of the Year at the Annual National Sports Awards in 2007.
• Won gold at the Cosafa Under 17 tournament and the Anoca Zone Six Games in 2007.

References