Sports / Soccer
'Senior players will ruin Bosso's ECD project'
08 May 2018 at 07:19hrs | Views
PRAISE singing of the performance of Highlanders' youthful side hit a discord note on Sunday, with fans in the terraces questioning the continued inclusion of some senior players they feel are misfits and will ruin Bosso's ECD project.
Following the disappointing 1-2 loss to ZPC Kariba in a Castle Lager Premiership match at Barbourfields Stadium, disappointed Bosso fans that attended the game demanded that coach Madinda Ndlovu return to his initial plan of using only youngsters in the club's rebuilding exercise.
They felt senior players meant to guide the youngsters are instead letting down the project with their below par performances and weekly blunders in Bosso matches.
Skipper and left-back Honest Moyo is slow and opposing teams tend to target his wing where they easily beat him for pace.
Centre-back Peter Muduhwa blows hot and cold, but what worries fans the most is constant communication failure between him and goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda.
So bad is the absence of communication that each time the ball is flighted into the Bosso box, possibilities of goals are always high due to the melees that ensue.
The rebuilding Bulawayo giants have so far lost eight points from games they could have either won or drawn because of blunders by senior players, with keeper Sibanda being the main culprit.
Bosso are third on the league table with 20 points from 10 games and trail leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars by six points.
In Week Six, Highlanders surrendered a 2-1 lead to draw 2-2 against Chicken Inn after Simon Munawa capitalised on a mix up between Sibanda and his defender Charlton Siamalonga.
Bosso then suffered their first defeat of the season 0-1 to pacesetters Ngezi Platinum Stars in Week Eight. Again, Sibanda committed the cardinal goalkeeping sin of being beaten at the near post due to his indecision.
With the match seemingly headed for a draw on Sunday, Bosso pushed everyone into the ZPC Kariba box for a corner kick and Sibanda positioned himself in the centre circle in the second minute of the referee's optional time.
When ZPC Kariba cleared their lines, the ball fell to substitute Tawanda Nyamandwe, who made a short run, aimed at goal and scored, with Sibanda stranded.
Both Highlanders' coach Ndlovu and ZPC Kariba gaffer Godfrey Tamirepi pointed out that the game's turning point was Sibanda's howler.
Ndlovu was clearly unhappy with the way Sibanda kept goal.
"We hoped that the boys would at least salvage a point, but they were punished for a blunder by a senior player, the goalkeeper, who made that schoolboy mistake," Ndlovu said.
It looks like lack of competition has made Sibanda complacent and Highlanders' goalkeepers' trainer Tembo Chuma will certainly be furious with the way Sibanda has been conceding goals.
Sibanda has conceded seven goals in 10 games. However, he seems to have gotten into a comfort zone and needs to work hard, keep his guard up if he is to play a significant role in Highlanders' rebuilding exercise.
Bosso have two young goalkeepers, Prosper Matutu and Nedrick Madeya, who both lack experience, and one of them could be thrown into the fray if Sibanda's untidy goalkeeping continues.
Right-back McClive Phiri has just about been the only consistent performer both defensively and offensively, alongside midfielder Nigel Makumbe and speedy winger Gabriel Nyoni whenever they're fit. Nyoni gives the Bosso frontline some venom, but he is rather prone to injury. Brian Banda also gives the side some options, but he too lacks consistency to become the team's engine room.
Coach Ndlovu introduced 18-year-old centre-back Andrew Mbeba against Mutare City Rovers in the absence of Muduhwa and the youngster stepped up to the plate. One wonders why the coach didn't give the youngster another run against a ZPC Kariba side that didn't match Mutare City in terms of quality and creativity.
Bosso fans want to watch the likes of young central midfielder Brian Jaravaza and left-back Mbongeni Ndlovu, so that they develop instead of continuing with old horses that continuously let down the highly determined youngsters.
These youngsters have shown that given more game time, they can establish themselves at Bosso compared to the senior players that have been suspect for a number of seasons.
Sentiments from the terraces showed that Bosso fans would rather watch their youngsters losing without senior players denting the team's rebuilding project.
Following the disappointing 1-2 loss to ZPC Kariba in a Castle Lager Premiership match at Barbourfields Stadium, disappointed Bosso fans that attended the game demanded that coach Madinda Ndlovu return to his initial plan of using only youngsters in the club's rebuilding exercise.
They felt senior players meant to guide the youngsters are instead letting down the project with their below par performances and weekly blunders in Bosso matches.
Skipper and left-back Honest Moyo is slow and opposing teams tend to target his wing where they easily beat him for pace.
Centre-back Peter Muduhwa blows hot and cold, but what worries fans the most is constant communication failure between him and goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda.
So bad is the absence of communication that each time the ball is flighted into the Bosso box, possibilities of goals are always high due to the melees that ensue.
The rebuilding Bulawayo giants have so far lost eight points from games they could have either won or drawn because of blunders by senior players, with keeper Sibanda being the main culprit.
Bosso are third on the league table with 20 points from 10 games and trail leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars by six points.
In Week Six, Highlanders surrendered a 2-1 lead to draw 2-2 against Chicken Inn after Simon Munawa capitalised on a mix up between Sibanda and his defender Charlton Siamalonga.
Bosso then suffered their first defeat of the season 0-1 to pacesetters Ngezi Platinum Stars in Week Eight. Again, Sibanda committed the cardinal goalkeeping sin of being beaten at the near post due to his indecision.
With the match seemingly headed for a draw on Sunday, Bosso pushed everyone into the ZPC Kariba box for a corner kick and Sibanda positioned himself in the centre circle in the second minute of the referee's optional time.
Both Highlanders' coach Ndlovu and ZPC Kariba gaffer Godfrey Tamirepi pointed out that the game's turning point was Sibanda's howler.
Ndlovu was clearly unhappy with the way Sibanda kept goal.
"We hoped that the boys would at least salvage a point, but they were punished for a blunder by a senior player, the goalkeeper, who made that schoolboy mistake," Ndlovu said.
It looks like lack of competition has made Sibanda complacent and Highlanders' goalkeepers' trainer Tembo Chuma will certainly be furious with the way Sibanda has been conceding goals.
Sibanda has conceded seven goals in 10 games. However, he seems to have gotten into a comfort zone and needs to work hard, keep his guard up if he is to play a significant role in Highlanders' rebuilding exercise.
Bosso have two young goalkeepers, Prosper Matutu and Nedrick Madeya, who both lack experience, and one of them could be thrown into the fray if Sibanda's untidy goalkeeping continues.
Right-back McClive Phiri has just about been the only consistent performer both defensively and offensively, alongside midfielder Nigel Makumbe and speedy winger Gabriel Nyoni whenever they're fit. Nyoni gives the Bosso frontline some venom, but he is rather prone to injury. Brian Banda also gives the side some options, but he too lacks consistency to become the team's engine room.
Coach Ndlovu introduced 18-year-old centre-back Andrew Mbeba against Mutare City Rovers in the absence of Muduhwa and the youngster stepped up to the plate. One wonders why the coach didn't give the youngster another run against a ZPC Kariba side that didn't match Mutare City in terms of quality and creativity.
Bosso fans want to watch the likes of young central midfielder Brian Jaravaza and left-back Mbongeni Ndlovu, so that they develop instead of continuing with old horses that continuously let down the highly determined youngsters.
These youngsters have shown that given more game time, they can establish themselves at Bosso compared to the senior players that have been suspect for a number of seasons.
Sentiments from the terraces showed that Bosso fans would rather watch their youngsters losing without senior players denting the team's rebuilding project.
Source - chronicle
