Sports / Local
Methembe Ndlovu's Bantu Rovers refuse to throw in the towel
17 Sep 2014 at 09:49hrs | Views
Bantu Rovers assistant coach Mandla 'Lulu' Mpofu is confident that his charges will play top flight football next season, insisting the relegation threatened club will survive the chop despite their current position on the log.
The Castle Premier League returnees, who returned to the top flight league after acquiring the Plumtree Chiefs franchise, have found the going tough in the highly competitive 16-team league and are currently 15th with 17 points from 22 games.
With just eight games left before the end of the season, Tshintsha Guluva are currently 10 points from safety and would need to win more than half their remaining fixtures to stand a chance of retaining their place in the premiership.
While accepting that Bantu Rovers, who have won just four league games all season, face an uphill task, Mpofu, who deputises Methembe Ndlovu, believes the Bulawayo-based side can still pull off the great escape.
Mpofu told The Zimbabwe Mail that they had used the three-week break they got when league games were suspended to accommodate the TM Pick n Pay Challenge, Commander ZNA's Charities Soccer Shield final and Chibuku Super Cup, to make final preparations for their journey to survival.
"We cannot say we are gone at the moment because there are still games to play and I believe we can make it if we manage to accumulate the 20 points needed," said Mpofu.
"The break was a good thing for us because most of our players who had injuries managed to shake them off and we now have a full squad to select the team from which should boost our survival chances."
Tshintsha Guluva, however, will be facing an uphill task starting with a Bulawayo derby against Chicken Inn on Saturday.
Mpofu said they were looking forward to the game against Chicken Inn, but acknowledged that it will be a difficult pursuit.
"It is going to be a tough match for us, but we will go into that with a winning mentality because it is what we need at the moment and for all the remaining games," he added.
However, Bantu Rovers will be buoyed by the return of their inspirational captain Nqobizitha Masuku, who was out with flu, and is expected to partner Teenage Hadebe in midfield, with veterans Hebert Dick and Zephaniah Ngodzo marshalling the defence.
The Castle Premier League returnees, who returned to the top flight league after acquiring the Plumtree Chiefs franchise, have found the going tough in the highly competitive 16-team league and are currently 15th with 17 points from 22 games.
With just eight games left before the end of the season, Tshintsha Guluva are currently 10 points from safety and would need to win more than half their remaining fixtures to stand a chance of retaining their place in the premiership.
While accepting that Bantu Rovers, who have won just four league games all season, face an uphill task, Mpofu, who deputises Methembe Ndlovu, believes the Bulawayo-based side can still pull off the great escape.
Mpofu told The Zimbabwe Mail that they had used the three-week break they got when league games were suspended to accommodate the TM Pick n Pay Challenge, Commander ZNA's Charities Soccer Shield final and Chibuku Super Cup, to make final preparations for their journey to survival.
"The break was a good thing for us because most of our players who had injuries managed to shake them off and we now have a full squad to select the team from which should boost our survival chances."
Tshintsha Guluva, however, will be facing an uphill task starting with a Bulawayo derby against Chicken Inn on Saturday.
Mpofu said they were looking forward to the game against Chicken Inn, but acknowledged that it will be a difficult pursuit.
"It is going to be a tough match for us, but we will go into that with a winning mentality because it is what we need at the moment and for all the remaining games," he added.
However, Bantu Rovers will be buoyed by the return of their inspirational captain Nqobizitha Masuku, who was out with flu, and is expected to partner Teenage Hadebe in midfield, with veterans Hebert Dick and Zephaniah Ngodzo marshalling the defence.
Source - Zim Mail
