Luke Masomere
| Luke Masomere | |
|---|---|
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| Known for | Being a football coach |
Luke "VaHombe" Masomere is a Zimbabwean football coach. Masomere coached clubs in Zimbabwe and in Botswana. In 2018, he was named coach of the year in the Zifa Eastern Region. Masomere went the whole season without a defeat with Manica Diamonds Football Club in the year they were formed.[1]
Masomere started calling himself ‘His Excellency, The Doctor Of Football’ after guiding Manica Diamond into the premiership without a defeat.
Manica totalled a record of 82 points in their maiden season in the Eastern Region Division One League in which they did not lose a match.[2]
Coaching career
Clubs
Masomere coached Shabanie Mine and won the 2013 BancABC Super 8 Cup after beating the then Lloyd Mutasa coached town rivals FC Platinum in the final.[3]
In September 2014, Masomere was hired by Border Strikers after the club fired coach Never Malunga and his assistant Hilary Mukuruva. Border Strikers hired Masomere in an effort to stay in the top-flight league.[4]
In September 2015, Luke Masomere resigned from his post as How Mine Football Club coach. Masomere has been under intense pressure as his side battled a barren spell and the 0-3 defeat at home, at the hands of FC Platinum was the last straw.
How Mine invested into a lot of players at the beginning of the 2015 season, hoping to win their maiden league title, but they have lost their way in recent months, leading Masomere to question their recruitment drive.
He argued that How Mine targeted players who were past their peak and this has been shown by their failure to remain constant throughout the season.
The coach also claimed there was a lot that was happening at the club which he could not reveal.[5]
Masomere spent a year on hiatus after his short stint with Beitbridge club Border Strikers ended with the team's relegation in 2016.
Manica Diamonds
He joined Manica Diamonds at the club's formation in 2017 and helped the club gain promotion to the Premier Soccer League in 2018.
On 4 August 2019, Luke Masomere was fired by Manica Diamonds Football Club in response to a winless run of seven games that has left them outside the top half midway through the season.
Masomere had been at Manica Diamonds Football Club since its formation in 2017 when they played in the ZIFA Eastern Region Division One.
He helped them gain promotion after winning the 2018 championship race with seven games to spare.
Manica Diamonds chairman Masimba Chihowa said Masomere had been given a top-eight finish target but there were doubts whether he would achieve that following a run of inconsistent performances and a dip in form that saw them going seven games without a win.[6]
Before he was fired, Masomere reportedly sent a voice note to some of the club's executive committee members including secretary-general Sugar Chagonda accusing some executive members of hiring bouncers to beat him up in a bid to force him to resign from his post.[7]
Masomere also claimed that he was sabotaged by some members of the club's executive. He told The Herald that he was sidelined from the recruitment of players and later given “unrealistic targets to reach a hefty 66 points” in their maiden season in the top-flight league.
He further claimed the working conditions at the Mutare-based club had been severely poisoned by vice-chairman Lovet Wadawareva.
He said that under normal circumstances, he would have rejected the contract but he only got to sign on January 7 2019 when there was nowhere else to go.
Luke Masomere said he wrote to them in February telling them that it was impossible to meet the targets under such conditions and there was no response.[8]
Mutare City Rovers
Masomere joined ZIFA Eastern Region Division One side Mutare City Rovers Football Club, a side that is owned by Mutare City Council, in February 2023.[9]
He was deputised by Chasten Ngondonga and former Warriors midfielder, Shepherd Muradzikwa, who was the club’s fitness trainer.
On 14 June 2023, it was announced that Masomere had left Mutare City Rovers. He left the club with 17 points after 10 matches and lying fifth on the table.[10]
Mutare City Rovers FC spokesperson Clayton Masekesa said Masomere resigned from the club after being sent on forced leave on 10 June for influencing players to protest against the club, and the sponsor (Mutare City Council) before a match against FC Hunters on 17 June 2023.
Vahombe was linked with the vacant job at ZPC Kariba where Newsome Mutema was the interim coach following the departure of Darlington Dodo.
ZPC Kariba
On 15 June 2023, ZPC Kariba Football Club Liason Officer Sylvester Mushininga confirmed that Masomere had joined the club as head coach.[11]
He took over from Newsome Mutema who had been the interim coach following the departure of Darlington Dodo.
Other Clubs
Masomere also coached Dynamos, Masvingo United and CAPS United. He won the championship with Amazulu in 2003 while he had a stint in Botswana at Gaborone, Nico United and Notwane.[12]
National Team
He also took charge of the national team between 2008 and 2009.[12]
Mining Business
After being fired by Manica Diamonds Football Club, Luke Masomere ventured into mining. He ventured into gold mining in Mashava but also revealed he had chrome claims in Zvishavane.[13]
References
- ↑ Masomere wins Coach Of The Year Award, Soccer24, Published: December 10, 2018, Retrieved: November 16, 2021
- ↑ “Dr of football” Masomere gives himself new title, Soccer24, Published: November 22, 2018, Retrieved: November 16, 2021
- ↑ Masomere set to bounce back, The Chronicle, Published: April 13, 2017, Retrieved: November 16, 2021
- ↑ Thupeyo Muleya, Masomere takes over at Border Strikers, Nehanda Radio, Published: September 14, 2016, Retrieved: November 16, 2021
- ↑ Takudzwa Chitsiga, Masomere quits How Mine, Nehanda Radio, Published: September 18, 2015, Retrieved: November 16, 2021
- ↑ Eddie Chikamhi, Manica explain Masomere dismissal, Nehanda Radio, Published: August 5, 2019, Retrieved: November 16, 2021
- ↑ KENNETH NYANGANI, Manica Diamonds Luke elsewhere, NewsDay, Published: August 5, 2019, Retrieved: November 16, 2021
- ↑ Eddie Chikamhi, Sacked Luke Masomere cries foul, The Herald, Published: August 6, 2019, Retrieved: November 16, 2021
- ↑ Masomere joins Mutare City Rovers, Zimbabwe One, Published: 03 February 2023. Retrieved: 15 June 2023
- ↑ Takudzwa Chitsiga, Masomere, Mutare City go separate ways, The Herald1, Published: 15 June 2023. Retrieved: 15 June 2023
- ↑ Fungayi Munyoro-Chingaira, Masomere is the new ZPC Kariba head coach , The Mirror, Published: 15 June 2023. Retrieved: 15 June 2023
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Luke ‘Vahombe’ Masomere bounces back, Soccer24, Published: December 16, 2017, Retrieved: November 16, 2021
- ↑ Football coach Luke “Vahombe” Masomere ventures into mining, ZBC, Published: 2020, Retrieved: November 16, 2021
