Katsande wins May coach of the month as Golden Boys hit title stride
Willard Katsande has been named Pacific Storm Eastern Region Soccer League Coach of the Month for May after an unbeaten run that has turned Grand Legacy FC into genuine title contenders.
The Murehwa side sit 5th on the log with 22 points from 11 matches, just 5 behind leaders Yadah FC on 27.
Katsande’s arrival has delivered 4 wins and a draw in 5 matches with no goals conceded at home.
The award caps a near clean sweep for the Golden Boys, with goalkeeper Danny Tagara also winning Goalkeeper of the Month, while Player of the Month went to Deportivo La Murambinda FC’s Ghanaian international George Adu.
Katsande’s impact has been immediate and structural.
Since taking over, he has collected 16 points, 4 straight home wins plus a disciplined away draw at Yadah FC in his first match in charge.
May was the peak: no losses, no goals conceded at home, and a defensive record that made Grand Legacy the hardest team to break down in the region.
That foundation was rewarded when he edged out his peers for the monthly gong.
The blueprint is simple and Katsande doesn’t hide it. “When you want to win the championship and be happy in November, it’s defined by how you defend now,” he told Fanzone.
His first task was installing a defensive unit and behaviour off the ball.
From there came data-driven problem solving, opponent analysis, and sessions designed to turn defence into attack. “It’s not a mistake, it’s a technique,” he said. “We talk, we analyze, we get feedback from the players and we create situations.”
The players bought in fast. “The most important thing is the player adaptation, they are buying into these ideas hence we are reaping the fruits,” Katsande noted. Mentality became the driver. “If you have the great mentality, no matter how much less talented you are you can compete with anyone.” That mindset made the Golden Boys believe they belong in the championship conversation.
The only blemish came this past weekend via a narrow 0-1 home defeat to Mutare City Rovers FC on matchday 13.
It ended the unbeaten run and was the first goal conceded at home in 7 games, coming in the last nine minutes before halftime.
Katsande called it an “eye opener” and a needed “kick in the butt”. Despite hitting the crossbar three times and creating enough chances for “a dozen goals”, Grand Legacy lacked clinical finishing. “The result was not a true reflection of what we have done so far,” he said. The debrief was clear: build on the performance, fix the finishing.
Next up is a crucial away fixture against Africa Mineral Ventures FC, who sit 4th on 22 points, level with Grand Legacy but ahead on goal difference.
AMVFC have lost just once in 11 games and boast the league’s best attack with 22 goals.
For Katsande, consistency is now the target. “We don’t need to be complacent, we need to be consistent in what made us Grand Legacy and tick all the boxes.”
With the defensive structure installed and belief growing, Katsande’s Golden Boys are no longer chasing, they’re competing. If the finishing clicks to match the defensive discipline, that 5-point gap to Yadah FC could shrink fast.
