Sports / Local
Bob 92 Cup final cancellation irks Bosso
15 Mar 2016 at 06:04hrs | Views
HIGHLANDERS feel the cancellation of the first-leg of the Bob 92 Cup final against Dynamos that had been scheduled for last Sunday robbed them of an opportunity to continue fine-tuning their squad before the start of the 2016 season.
The Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season kicks-off on April 2, with Highlanders taking on Hwange at the Colliery.
Organisers of the Bob Cup were forced to call-off the epic clash that had been set for Barbourfields Stadium after Dynamos pulled out protesting over non-payment of prize money for winning the 2015 edition.
Highlanders are also owed prize money and the club's chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede said the organisers had made an undertaking to pay them before the Dynamos match.
Gumede said they suffered a setback and now have to organise a friendly match to keep their players match fit.
"That cancellation affected us in a big way because we really need game time. The technical team wants to see how the players are responding to their training methods and if they're adapting to the coach's style. To be honest, our rhythm was affected and to make up for the lost opportunity, we're working on getting a friendly match for this weekend," said Gumede.
"We're in the dark if the Bob Cup will be played because the organisers haven't made official communication with us. They had secured two weekends and are now left with March 19. If they say we travel to Harare and play, we're ready," he said.
Highlanders' new head coach Erol Akbay joined the club last month and has only been in charge of two games against relatively unknown Botswana side Gilport Lions, which they beat 2-1 in the Royal Cup.
He also took charge of the ZNA Charities Shield quarter-final against league champions Chicken Inn last week and Bosso needed a penalty shootout to oust the Gamecocks 4-2 after the game had ended 1-1 in regulation time.
Highlanders brought in a couple of players such as striker Kasimero Chimbadzwa, juniors Prince Dube, Arian Silla and Brian Banda as well as defenders Tendai Ndlovu and Benson Phiri to reinforce the squad.
Akbay still wants to assess these players and decide how he will use them during the campaign.
The Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season kicks-off on April 2, with Highlanders taking on Hwange at the Colliery.
Organisers of the Bob Cup were forced to call-off the epic clash that had been set for Barbourfields Stadium after Dynamos pulled out protesting over non-payment of prize money for winning the 2015 edition.
Highlanders are also owed prize money and the club's chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede said the organisers had made an undertaking to pay them before the Dynamos match.
Gumede said they suffered a setback and now have to organise a friendly match to keep their players match fit.
"That cancellation affected us in a big way because we really need game time. The technical team wants to see how the players are responding to their training methods and if they're adapting to the coach's style. To be honest, our rhythm was affected and to make up for the lost opportunity, we're working on getting a friendly match for this weekend," said Gumede.
"We're in the dark if the Bob Cup will be played because the organisers haven't made official communication with us. They had secured two weekends and are now left with March 19. If they say we travel to Harare and play, we're ready," he said.
Highlanders' new head coach Erol Akbay joined the club last month and has only been in charge of two games against relatively unknown Botswana side Gilport Lions, which they beat 2-1 in the Royal Cup.
He also took charge of the ZNA Charities Shield quarter-final against league champions Chicken Inn last week and Bosso needed a penalty shootout to oust the Gamecocks 4-2 after the game had ended 1-1 in regulation time.
Highlanders brought in a couple of players such as striker Kasimero Chimbadzwa, juniors Prince Dube, Arian Silla and Brian Banda as well as defenders Tendai Ndlovu and Benson Phiri to reinforce the squad.
Akbay still wants to assess these players and decide how he will use them during the campaign.
Source - chronicle
