REIGNING Coach of the Year, Bigboy Mawiwi of Harare City has stressed the need to beef up his team ahead of the 2014 season.
By Albert Marufu
Mawiwi, whose side lost the championship on the last day of the season after a 2-all draw against CAPS United to finish third, said there was need to add at least one player in every department.
“Our target for the 2014 season is a top four finish and I think you know what that means. We have a number of players whom we are assessing that include former Monomotapa defender Knowledge Machona and Takunda Sadiki,” he said.
Mawiwi also revealed that Harare City, who are set to lose out of contract Silas Songani, will have to part ways with at least five players.
“I cannot reveal names of the players whom we will release because they are still to receive the letters. I am sure the chairman [Leslie Gwindi] will next week make an official announcement of players whom we have parted ways with as well as those that we would have acquired,” he said.
While City are still fretting over their new acquisitions, that seems not to be the case at rivals Dynamos who have since added the highly rated Ronald Chitiyo, Masimba Mambare, Walter Mukanga, Tafadzwa Rusike and Themba Ndlovu for the forthcoming season.
Team manager Richard Chihoro said the club was also expecting Ugandan midfielder Boban Zirintusa to join his teammates today from his native country. “We are expecting him in the county tomorrow [today] so that he starts training with the team,” he said.
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Chihoro also added that his club was still to be approached over a deal involving Kuda Mahachi from South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns.
Reports last week suggested that Mamelodi Sundowns would sign the Bantu Rovers player and then loan him to Dynamos, but Chihoro expressed ignorance over the deal.
“So far we only have five new players and the Mahachi issue, we only read about it in the newspapers. No one has approached us as yet,” he said.
In Chiredzi, Hippo Valley coach Moses Chunga, is battling from two fronts as he has to contend with the confusion over the team’s ownership wrangle, as well as bolstering the club.
So far former Dynamos striker Norman Maroto is training with the team.
“The only problem is the confusion on the ownership of the club. However, we remain focused and by Tuesday I will know the teams we will play in preparatory matches,” said Chunga.
