Bosso to sign Hardlife Zvirekwi

HIGHLANDERS are close to clinching the signatures of Caps United's right back Hardlife Zvirekwi and former chief striker Njabulo "Tshiki" Ncube of FC Platinum in their bid to ease their right back and striking woes.

Zvirekwi was last week said to have quit Caps United and his availability if confirmed would help Highlanders' right back crisis as many a time makeshift defender Simon Munawa has been found wanting.

Highlanders at present don't have a natural right back after parting ways with loyal son Lawson Nkomo at the beginning of the year while Ncube left Bosso in a huff to join FC Platinum after the Bulawayo giants had taken long to release his signing on fee as they were still waiting for their primary sponsors BancABC to issue them with funds to get players.

The stocky striker, who was instrumental in Highlanders' end to a major cup drought as Bosso won the Mbada Diamonds Cup last season, is struggling to break into the FC Platinum' first team maybe because of the style of play that the miners are using under Lloyd Mutasa.

Mutasa has introduced some attacking flair to the Zvishavane club with the players quickly going forward as well as chasing back. This therefore means that Ncube, who is comfortable playing as a central striker, struggles to fit into the system which requires the strikers to chase back into midfield if they lose possession and be quick to launch an attack if they regain the ball.

Ncube has been relegated to the bench by Stephen "Dealer" Sibanda, Donald Ngoma and Obrey Chirwa who has just come back from injury.

With Highlanders set to lose Milton Ncube to Ajax Cape Town in the next few weeks, Njabulo, a trusted lieutenant by the Bosso coach Kelvin Kaindu, is seen as a suitable replacement and sources say the striker has told close friends that he wants to don the black and white strip again.

"Tshiki knows that he is in the last years of his career and wants to make the most out of it and that is why he wants to move out of FC PLatinum. He has always had love for Highlanders and is keen on joining them again. I think he has made up his mind and very soon he will be approaching his club (FC Platinum) to let them know about his decision," said a source.

Last week, FC Platinum coach Mutasa told this publication that he had given his players a week to decide on their future adding that he would not stand in the way of anyone who wanted to seek greener pastures elsewhere.

"What we have done is to talk to the lads so that they open up and those that want to leave for greener pastures elsewhere have this week to notify us. Obviously there are players that might have a change of heart and will want to move on but as the technical team we are happy with the players that we have and what they have done so far even though results may not be reflective of the work we are doing," Mutasa was quoted as saying.

Contacted for comment about Njabulo, Highlanders' chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede said they had not made a move for the player.

"Indications from our technical department are that we need a more potent striker and the name Njabulo Ncube did come up in one of the discussions but nothing conclusive has been reached. As Highlanders we are aware of his (Ncube) commitment to FC Platinum and while we appreciate our technical team's predicament, we have to take into cognisance his contract with the Zvishavane club.

Actually no discussions have been made with either their clubs or players.

"As for Zvirekwi, his name was mentioned some two or three weeks ago when we had a predicament with our right back but just like Njabulo, we have not made any approaches to either clubs or players. Actually the reason why Zvirekwi's name came up was after we read in the press that there were some challenges within his club," Gumede said.

He could not be drawn into revealing their mid-season targets saying that would jeopardise their plans.

The veteran administrator said their aim is to reap the rewards of their junior policy where they have invested heavily.

"Our corncern is mainly on the youth system where we are investing lots of monies for the coaches' allowances and the boys. Our thrust is to have boys from our youth system being blended with the seniors instead of us loaning them out for next to nothing or spending lots of resources every year on bringing in new players," he said.