CAPS United midfielder Archieford Gutu says his confidence took a knock when he arrived at the Premiership soccer club only to fail to command a place in the first team, but is glad that he is now going through rehabilitation. The former Warriors midfielder is one of the players undergoing a special training programme under assistant coach Fungai “Tostao” Kwashi to regain full fitness.He is confident that the remedial work will get him back into shape and into the first team.

Gutu joined the Green Machine at the start of the season amid a lot of expectations, but the midfielder has lived to none.

He was not even reporting to training for close to a month after asking for some time out to solve personal issues.

Out of frustration, the midfielder even requested for a transfer letter from the club during the transfer window.

But the former Ajax Cape Town and Kalmer midfielder has seen the light and has upped his work rate.

Yesterday, Gutu opened up and said hard work is his new catch phrase.

“I was away for three weeks, but I am now back at the club and back in training. I didn’t play much at CAPS United when I came in, so of course, you would lose some confidence by that.

“Even some of the best players in the world would lose confidence by not playing matches.

“I can’t be match fit because I haven’t been playing matches so I am not 100 percent fit, but I am okay so for now I have to fight for a place in the (first) team and there are still 12 matches left,” said Gutu.

Gutu returned home after three seasons with Swedish top-flight side Kalmer before he was loaned out to a lower division in his last season in Europe.

But the former Dynamos midfielder, who nearly rejoined DeMbare before he was snapped up by the Green Machine, has struggled to reproduce his best form.

Gutu and Dynamos midfielder Denver Mukamba were part of the midfield hub of the Glamour Boys in 2011 under the guidance of Lloyd Mutasa before Callisto Pasuwa came in and went on to win the league title.

Ironically, Mukamba also returned home this year following a three-year spell in the South African Premiership.

He is also looking at relaunching his career at Dynamos.

Gutu said after speaking with his mentor at CAPS United, Lloyd Chitembwe, he was left convinced that he can still achieve something at the club.

He said he is now focused and will follow through the special training programme.

Yesterday, Chitembwe said it is now up to the midfielder to be focused as they have designed a special training programme for him.

“Archie had some personal problems after his brush with the law and he took some time off to sort them out. He is back, but he needs more time.

“He has a special (training) programme, when others are training in the afternoon he has a training in the morning and vice versa.

“But being focused is up to the individual. It is about him. As long as he does what we want him to do, then he would be fine.

“The other players are at another level and he is starting all over again so that is the challenge, but he would be okay as it is a matter of time and patience,” said Chitembwe.

The gaffer added that the only way the player would regain confidence is by training regularly.

“What brings about confidence is training. Training is repetition so if you repeat over and over you master those basics to become more confident.

“That is why we spent hours preparing for 90 minutes,” said Chitembwe.

Turning to the weekend’s match against Hwange at the Colliery, Chitembwe said the focus is the same as it was in their last outing against pacesetters FC Platinum at the National Sports Stadium.

In the reverse tie, the Green Machine were held to a 1-1 draw at home by a plucky Hwange side and the former Warriors midfielder knows that it would be a tough away battle.

“The team has seasoned campaigners they know what to expect in such encounters. I have said it before that you can no longer find easy games so it is a fixture we have to fulfil.

“The focus is always the same, we want to achieve in every single match we play,” said Chitembwe.

The former CAPS United hard tackling midfielder would be seeking momentum from his team which was in action on Defence Forces Day against Zimbabwe Defence Forces Select.

Although the Premiership side lost 2-0 to the Defence Forces Select team, Chitembwe was left satisfied with how some of his fringe players applied themselves on Tuesday afternoon.

“The players had a very good performance. Sometimes you don’t get an opportunity to look at some of these players in real game situations so I was happy with what I saw.

“Players like Valentine (Musarurwa) I have never doubted his ability, he played well against Tsholotsho.

“Cabby Kamhapa and Carlton Munzambwa haven’t played 90 minutes so it was good that they got that.

“Amon (Kambanje), who I once worked with at Division One side Starbill, also had a good game. I knew what he is capable of doing and I’m waiting for the right moment to play him as he is yet to feature in a league match,” said Chitembwe.