Chicken Inn coach Tonderai Ndiraya is in Spain for an attachment at LaLiga side Villarreal, marking another important step in the fast-rising tactician’s career as he prepares for a demanding 2026 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League season.
The newly appointed Chicken Inn head coach left Zimbabwe three days ago and has already reported for duty at Villarreal CF, where he is undertaking a two-week coaching attachment. The programme will see Ndiraya rotate through the Spanish club’s academy structures and first-team environment, gaining first-hand exposure to European coaching methods, tactical organisation, and elite performance culture.
For a coach who has rapidly built a reputation as a serial winner, this attachment is about sharpening the finer details. Villarreal, known for their strong youth development and tactical discipline, provide an ideal learning platform for a coach eager to evolve beyond local success.
This is not his first time. Fresh off guiding Simba Bhora to a historic league title in November 2024, the youthful tactician embarked on a three-week coaching attachment with Turkish first-division side Kocaelispor. He departed just days after Simba Bhora’s coronation in Kariba, in a move facilitated by club secretary Taurai Janhi.
“Football is a business that requires investment to reap rewards. Our game has been lagging because of lack of exposure, so this is exactly the opportunity I want our coaches to experience,” Janhi explained.
That early European exposure helped Ndiraya broaden his tactical outlook and gain insights into modern football management.
Last season, another Zimbabwean coach, Lloyd Mutasa, followed a similar path, taking up a high-profile attachment with Turkish Super League side Istanbul Başakşehir FK in January 2025. The MWOS FC head coach used the experience to refine his modern football knowledge, from match preparation and tactical planning to elite-level coaching methods. The move, a strategic investment by MWOS, aimed to inject fresh ideas into the local game. Mutasa returned to guide MWOS to an impressive second-place finish in their debut Premier League season, underlining his growing pedigree and the value of international exposure for local coaches.
Ndiraya joined Chicken Inn after parting ways with league champions Scottland FC, a move that raised eyebrows across the domestic game. He leaves behind a remarkable record, having won back-to-back league titles with two different clubs, Simba Bhora in 2024 and Scottland FC in 2025, a feat that placed him firmly among Zimbabwe’s elite coaches.
However, his appointment at Chicken Inn comes with pressure and scrutiny. Critics have been quick to point out that his recent triumphs came with well-resourced, star-studded squads. The big question now is whether he can replicate that success at a club that narrowly avoided relegation last season.
Chicken Inn survived the 2025 campaign by the slimmest of margins, and the decision to bring in Ndiraya is a clear statement of intent from the Bulawayo-based side. The club is not just aiming to survive again; it wants stability, structure, and a clear football identity going into 2026.
This Spanish attachment could prove crucial. Exposure to Villarreal’s high-performance environment, modern training methods, and tactical frameworks may help Ndiraya fine-tune his approach, particularly in squad management, player development, and game control, areas that will be vital at a rebuilding Chicken Inn.
As he walked into Villarreal’s iconic Estadio de la Cerámica, Ndiraya carried with him not just his medals, but the expectations of a club desperate to climb away from danger. When he returns home, all eyes will be on how much of the LaLiga experience translates onto the Chicken Inn technical bench.
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