For the umpteenth time, the focus of attention is on Norman Mapeza.
His side played good football as usual, on Wednesday at Rufaro Stadium and proved too good for out of sorts CAPS United, piling more misery on the struggling Harare giants in the process.
Goals from either side of the half time interval from Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya propelled the platinum miners to only their second win of the 2025 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.
With everyone somewhat appreciative of the fact that teams in the country’s top-flight league still play entertaining football and Mapeza’s side being the perfect example, the former Warriors captain instead chose to arouse his ego in the wake of the moment.
A simple question by one journalist during Mapeza’s post-match interview irked the FC Platinum coach, to the point of the latter eventually walking out of the press room.
Ahead of the CAPS match, the former champions had scored just four matches in eight matches and Mapeza was simply asked whether or not he was still worried about his troops’ conversion rate, since they had now netted in consecutive matches for the first time this season.
A moment of madness ensued.
Mapeza, with his left index finger raised, accused the journalist of putting words in his mouth, insisting that never at any point this season, did he say he was worried by FC Platinum’s goal drought.
“You have got a problem my friend, you are a very young man, don’t ever make the mistake of putting words in my mouth. If he (the journalist) comes to press conferences next time, I won’t speak to the press,” fumed Mapeza.
Mapeza went on to exhibit dangerous levels of exaggerated self-importance, telling the journalist that his behavior “would result in other media practitioners failing to have access to him.”
Mapeza, for someone who played UEFA Champions League football for Galatasaray and is always bragging about it, should do better.
The former Warriors captain does not act like someone who once experienced Europe’s premier club competition.
A coach or player in Europe can be asked anything, even questions they don’t like, but there is simply a better way to answer, rather than having an outburst.
Besides, Mapeza, contrary to his insistence, did say that he worried about lack of goals at FC Platinum, and even tried to make the problem a national crisis.
On March 27, previewing his charges’ game against MWOS, in which they also failed to score, Mapeza said: “Goals are not coming, I don’t think I’m the only coach who is worried about lack of goals. Other coaches are worried too because goals are just not coming.”