Sports / Soccer
Gilbert Banda bounces back
07 Jul 2016 at 07:15hrs | Views
FORMER Highlanders defender and captain Gilbert Banda is set to return to active football with ambitious Zifa Southern Region Division One side Bantu Rovers after more than six months on the sidelines.
Banda was offloaded by How Mine at the end of last season and rejected by newly-promoted Bulawayo City early this season after allegedly defying coach Philani Ncube's orders to shave his dreadlocks. He has been training with the Johannes Ngodzo-coached outfit.
Sources at Rovers said Banda will be among four new players Tshintsha Guluva will register this window as they prepare for possible play-offs to decide the two clubs to be promoted into the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League next season.
"Bantu Rovers will register Banda this window; it can be as early as this week. The club is already preparing for possible play-offs, hence the decision to go for seasoned and battle-hardened players like Banda," said the source.
Wilbert Sibanda, Rovers' general manager, was non-committal on Banda, but confirmed that the dreadlocked defender was training with them.
"I haven't processed his registration papers, but he is training with us," said Sibanda.
At Rovers, Banda will reunite with Zephania Ngodzo, his successor as Highlanders captain when he left the club for FC Platinum in 2012 after more than a decade with the Bulawayo giants.
A talented and skilful defender with a strong aerial command and one-on-one situations, Banda can bring the much needed stability to the Rovers defence, especially at the most crucial stages of the championship campaign.
Banda was offloaded by How Mine at the end of last season and rejected by newly-promoted Bulawayo City early this season after allegedly defying coach Philani Ncube's orders to shave his dreadlocks. He has been training with the Johannes Ngodzo-coached outfit.
Sources at Rovers said Banda will be among four new players Tshintsha Guluva will register this window as they prepare for possible play-offs to decide the two clubs to be promoted into the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League next season.
"Bantu Rovers will register Banda this window; it can be as early as this week. The club is already preparing for possible play-offs, hence the decision to go for seasoned and battle-hardened players like Banda," said the source.
Wilbert Sibanda, Rovers' general manager, was non-committal on Banda, but confirmed that the dreadlocked defender was training with them.
"I haven't processed his registration papers, but he is training with us," said Sibanda.
At Rovers, Banda will reunite with Zephania Ngodzo, his successor as Highlanders captain when he left the club for FC Platinum in 2012 after more than a decade with the Bulawayo giants.
A talented and skilful defender with a strong aerial command and one-on-one situations, Banda can bring the much needed stability to the Rovers defence, especially at the most crucial stages of the championship campaign.
Source - chronicle
