Former Warriors and Highlanders goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini, says Harare-based preacher, Walter Magaya, is the right person to be the next ZIFA president when the Normalisation Committee’s tenure comes to an end.
Magaya owns the Premier Soccer League (PSL) club Yadah Stars and has constructed a stadium in Waterfalls, Harare, known as The Heart Stadium.
Kapini, who plays for Highlands Park Football Club, a lower division club in South Africa, told <a href="https://www.hmetro.co.zw/kapini-backs-magaya-to-be-the-next-zifa-boss/">H-Metro</a> that Magaya’s move to sign Khama Billiat despite strong competition from Dynamos and Manica Diamonds shows that he can take Zimbabwean football to the next level. He said:
<blockquote>
We can say whatever we want about Prophet Magaya but we can never take away the passion he has for football and his love for the game is there for everyone to see with all the million-dollar investments he has made.
I will be let down if Magaya doesn’t make himself available in the coming ZIFA elections because Zimbabwean football needs someone like him.
I think he is someone who might get big brands to sponsor the PSL because he showed his capacity when he signed Billiat, against all odds, we need fresh ideas in our football and I don’t think he is someone who will shut the door on the legends.
</blockquote>
Magaya ended up building his own stadium after his efforts to renovate Gwanzura in Harare and Chibuku in Chitungwiza were frustrated.
Kapini said football authorities should engage Magaya for assistance in refurbishing the National Sports Stadium so that it meets the requirements to host international football matches. He said:
<blockquote>
I don’t know why we are pretending as if it’s okay to play our games outside Zimbabwe. What I know is that Magaya will help to improve the stadiums and resolve the crisis which has impacted our football.
He has been running a top-flight team, he knows what the players want, which I think is the most neglected area, PSL teams need to be supported with grants.
I read several reports about Magaya being denied the chance to renovate Gwanzura and Chibuku Stadium, I mean who does that to someone who is doing the country such a lifetime favour?
If Magaya chooses not to take this chance, we should consider someone passionate about the development of our football, people like Alois Bunjira.
</blockquote>
Kapini has three brothers who are under Yadar Stars namely Issa Sadiki, Brian Mapfumo and Noah Kapini.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Tapuwa Kapini Endorses Walter Magaya For ZIFA Presidency

Former Warriors and Highlanders goalkeeper <a href="https://pindula.co.zw/Tapuwa_Kapini">Tapuwa Kapini</a> has said he intends to become a full-time football coach after hanging up his boots.
Kapini told <a href="https://www.zimlive.com/kapini-eyes-full-time-career-as-a-football-coach/">ZimLive</a> that he is currently at Highlands Park in South Africa where he is a player-coach. He said:
<blockquote>
I play for Highlands Park here in South Africa, I am a player-coach. When I retire, I want to have badges of coaching, not only as a goalkeeper coach but I want to try as a head coach.
Kapini said that he comes from a soccer family which inspired him to take the sport seriously. He said:
I grew up around football; my brothers, all played. Itai who now works as a trainer at a Bulawayo gym and Noel Kapini who is currently the assistant coach of Yadah FC inspired me.
To be a goalkeeper it was Brenna Msiska, Tendai and Victor Mwanasanga who inspired me and they used to be my coaches back at junior level.
I started soccer at an early age as an infield player. I used to play right wing or midfield. I used to score a lot of goals with good techniques for free kicks.
I realised that I was also good between the goal posts; so I had to decide as to where to play.
I was scared to get kicked in-field so that’s why I had to opt to play as a goalkeeper.
</blockquote>
Kapini said playing at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) held in Egypt was the biggest highlight of his career. He said:
<blockquote>
When you play at AFCON, everyone is watching around the world. Willard Katsande used to say that the number one team is your country.
So, the moment you represent your country, you know your career is going somewhere.
The match I will never forget is when we played Ghana in that tournament. I rubbed shoulders with players like Samuel Essien, Sulley Muntari, and Stephen Appiah while playing in what I can call the dream team which had the likes of Peter Ndlovu, Benjani Mwaruwaru, George Mbwando, Wilfred Mugeyi and Alois Bunjira.
I also had to compete for the jersey with Energy Murambadoro, Chenjerai Dube, Brito Gwere and Tendai Tanyanyiwa.
</blockquote>
The veteran goalkeeper said there was a need to involve football legends in developing structures to improve the quality of football in the country. He said:
<blockquote>
There are so many legends who played football that should be roped in the soccer clubs’ developing structures.
Teams can do better in terms of looking after our legends, giving them jobs, whether as a manager in junior level or as a scout for the main team.
Most people despise scouting but it is an essential part in football. A team cannot only rely on signing players that come for trials.
These soccer legends, when they return to their clubs as scouts, know the culture of that team and what crop of players it needs therefore they can do a better job.
</blockquote>
Kapini was born on 17 July 1984 and attended Kuwangira Primary School and Highfield High School, both in Harare.
He began his professional career at Highlanders FC (2001 – 2006), Silver Stars Polokwane, South Africa (2007), Platinum Stars Rustenburg, South Africa (2008 – 2011), Amazulu Durban, South Africa (2012 – 2015) Highlands Park football club, South Africa (2016 – Current).
A memorable moment from his illustrious career was when he scored two goals against CAPS United football club in a single match, with one of the goals scored directly from his 18-yard box.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Tapuwa Kapini Eyes Full-time Career As A Football Coach

Former Warriors goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini says he has not thought of retiring yet and would want to play for his childhood club Highlanders before hanging up his boots.
The 37-year-old Sekhukhune United goalie wants to emulate veteran Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon’s longevity.
Buffon (44) recently signed a new two-year deal with second-tier side Parma in his homeland and is set to play until he is at least 36. Kapini told Sowetan:
<blockquote>
I haven’t thought about retirement yet. All I am thinking about is just going to training every morning and doing well… motivate these young boys that if I can play at my age, what about them?
Buffon is 44 and in Africa people expect us to retire at 37… imagine. Seeing Buffon still going strong is a huge inspiration for many of us.
</blockquote>
Kapini has only played in Sekhukhune’s first three league games of the season before the arrival of Toaster Nsabata who took the No 1 jersey.
The Zimbabwean said he has not lost hope at Babina Noko and will do his best whenever he gets an opportunity to play. Said Kapini:
<blockquote>
Football is all about competition. If there’s someone who’s doing well ahead of you, you must be patient. Toaster is doing well at the moment but I won’t stop pushing him.
There’s also Ayanda Dlamini, who’s a top keeper in his own right, so the competition is stiff. Whenever I get a chance to play, I’ll grab it with both hands.
</blockquote>
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sport/soccer/2022-03-11-kapini-aspires-to-play-on-and-on-and-on-like-icon-buffon/">Sowetan</a></h4>

Kapini Wants To Emulate Gianluigi Buffon's Longevity

Football legend Tapuwa Kapini who might be on his way out of Highlands Park after the latter reportedly told him he was not in the coach’s plans, has revealed how he started his side business, a workshop, which fixes gearboxes in Pomona, Kempton Park in South Africa which he co-owns with someone, The Herald reports.
Kapini said he had no intention of getting into the business until he encountered a problem:
<blockquote>
My Ford Ranger had a gearbox problem, when I took it to a Ford dealership they quoted me R46 000 to install a new one. I could not afford that amount. I went to a friend of mine who had little knowledge of fixing cars. We took the gearbox out, thoroughly cleaned and examined it and put in some screws.
That’s how I got into this business. Today, we co-own Trec Gearbox Specialist business, and it is registered. We have four employees. Most of the time I am in camp with the team and that’s when my partner Emmanuel steps up and does everything. We fix approximately five cars a day, depending on the parts (available). If it’s cars like Toyotas, it’s easy
</blockquote>
Kapini has told the Sowetan that he was offloaded from Highlands Park by being told that:
<blockquote>Guys you are not in coach Dan’s plans . . . that is football and we just need to move on’. It’s life you know. Nobody has died, it’s okay.</blockquote>
He at one point <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2020/09/12/tapuwa-kapini-eyes-bosso-reunion/">revealed how he hopes to join his former team</a> Highlanders for one season before he retires.
More: <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/kapini-spends-day-at-car-workshop/">The Herald </a>

Kapini Reveals How He Started His Side Hustle

Legendary former Warriors and Highlanders goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini’s future at South African Absa Premiership side Highlands Park is now uncertain if his Twitter post is anything to go by.
Kapini announced on the microblogging site on Monday that after a training session, the Highlands club manager told him that he was no longer in the coach’s future plans. He wrote:
<blockquote>Just disappointed went for morning training today and after training the team manager told us that we are not in coaches plans, that’s life GOD knows why.</blockquote>
The eccentric goalkeeper moved South Africa in 2006 after five years with Bosso and joined Platinum Stars.
He stayed with Dikwena for five years before leaving to join AmaZulu in 2011 and was on the move again in 2015 to Highlands Park where he became a key member of the squad and was appointed captain.
Kapini recently said that he is open to a returning to Highlanders before he hangs up his gloves.

Kapini Faces Uncertain Future At Highlands Park

Former Warriors goalkeeper, Tapuwa Kapini has blamed the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) for the national football team’s humiliation at the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
The Warriors failed to win a single match, drawing one and losing two with a combined 5-0 aggregate loss. They managed to score a single goal in three matches.
The final game at the tournament was a 4-0 loss to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) played after the players had boycotted training and threatened to abandon the tournament due to nonpayment of allowances.
The players insisted that ZIFA pays all their outstanding allowances before the match.
Speaking on Front Runner Sports TV, Kapini posited that ZIFA should have been prepared for the tournament. He said:
<blockquote>This thing of Zifa not playing the players is bringing the issue that the players don’t want to perform. They want to perform and if everything is in order, I think the team would do well.
If you look at the teams that had everything in order, they did well. The other sides who faced money issues with their associations – Uganda, for example, refused to train and lost their match (against Senegal).</blockquote>
Kapini did not have kind words for Warriors first-choice goalkeeper, George Chigova who failed to play against DRC due to a hamstring injury.
Chigova was replaced by third-choice keeper Elvis Chipezeze after the second choice, Edmore Sibanda was also injured. Said Kapini:
<blockquote>There are some games I play while injured because I don’t want to bring pressure to these boys.
I think it was unnecessary for Chigova to pull out and give Chipezeze a sudden chance to play in the match. I sympathize with Elvis, it’s part of the game.</blockquote>
Kapini currently plays at South African side Highlands Park FC where he is the club captain.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.soccer24.co.zw/2019/07/23/tapuwa-kapini-tears-into-zifa-blames-chigova-for-drc-defeat/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Soccer24</a></h4>

Warriors Legend Blames ZIFA For AFCON Humiliation

Former<a href="http://www.pindula.co.zw/Zimbabwe_Warriors"> Warriors </a>goalkeeper <a href="http://www.pindula.co.zw/Tapuwa_Kapini">Tapuwa Kapini</a> scored the winning goal as Highlands Park beat Ajax Cape Town 2-1 in an ABSA Premiership match played on Wednesday evening.
Kapini scored in the 56th minute with his clearance ending up in the back of the net giving his club their second win of the season. Highlands Park had taken the lead in the 12th minute through Lindokhule Mbatha but Ajax Cape Town equalised in the 53rd minute.
More: <a href="http://www.soccer24.co.zw/2016/12/14/15814/">Soccer24</a>

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