Bosso, Chapungu clash

HIGHLANDERS FC will parade their prospective new signings tomorrow when they take on Chapungu FC in their first official 2015 pre-season match at Barbourfields Stadium.

The Bulawayo giants are under new coach Bongani Mafu and the fans will likely come in their numbers to see the flair that their new gaffer has brought in.

Bosso, as part of austerity measures, resolved that they will sign players with no contracts and will only engage those whose demands are not exorbitant.

They let the league's 2014 season joint top goalscorer Charles Sibanda go because they felt that they could not meet his demands and the striker has since signed for How Mine.

Players that have been training with Highlanders with the hope of clinching deals include former How Mine's Edmore "Digo" Muzanenhamo, ex-Njube Sundowns, Monomotapa and Harare City midfielder Tendai Ngulube, goalkeeper Liberty Chirava who was at Chicken Inn, club returnees Marshal Machazane and Lindelani "Vice" Ncube as well as leftback Julius Daudi.

They also have strikers Thomas Chidewu and Ashton Mhlanga who are trying their luck with the club.

Mafu and his boys started their pre-season training at the beginning of the month and the former Zimbabwe Saints coach is quite optimistic that his charges will mesmerise their followers with beautiful displays.

However, he is aware that Bosso fans are hard to please.

"I believe playing Chapungu will afford us an opportunity to create that appreciative environment for our players. Our supporters must come and enjoy football, rally behind the players even if they make mistakes.

"What I want to see is players enjoying their football and even if they make mistakes supporters mustn't put them under pressure by booing them. Players must be encouraged so that football drama and excitement are not killed through booing," said Mafu.

He said he was still working on combinations and will need more training games to get his team into the right groove.

"In as far as fitness levels are concerned, we're not yet there but it's okay because we are in pre-season and we are still loading. Combinations are coming up slowly and we need more work on game displays which will afford us to work on things that we would have done at training like reactions and just putting into practice what we would have done."

Just like Bosso, Chapungu also have a new head at the technical team in the form of Jairos Tapera.

Ex-Shabanie Mine duo of Smart Muchabaiwa and Marvelous Dikinya, former Black Mambas' Nhlanhla Ncube, Tongai Magwendere and goalkeeper Talbert Shumba formerly with FC Platinum are some of the notable players trying their luck at Chapungu.