Lionel Mtizwa set to bounce back

By Petros Kausiyo

FORMER Warriors midfielder Lionel Mtizwa looks set to bounce back to the domestic Premiership if his ongoing club-hunting mission in the South African top-flight fails to bear fruit in time for the close of the January transfer window.

South African clubs have until Friday to conclude their transfer deals for the window period, which opened on January 1, and Mtizwa is one of a host of Zimbabwean players who are hoping they will secure a contract in time for the deadline.

The former CAPS United midfielder was left clubless following the expiry of his contract with reigning South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

Ironically, all the CAPS United players who were at Sundowns have struggled to continue holding down places in the team with defender Method Mwanjali, who once captained the Brazilians, and striker Nyasha Mushekwi also facing lengthy spells on the sidelines on the occasions that they have not been loaned to other clubs.

Mwanjali and Mushekwi’s contracts with Sundowns are still running but the Brazilians coach Pitso Mosimane has made no secret of the fact that the duo is not part of his plans.

But it is Mtizwa, now out of contract, who could yet be heading home to try and revive a career that has also not been helped much by a knee injury that sidelined him from the game for a long time.

“I’m still in Jozi (Johannesburg) and I haven’t found a team yet. I have just spoken to my agent and he didn’t tell me anything about getting a club. I think he is still looking.

“The problem is the issue of foreigners. Some clubs have one foreign spot available and are looking for a striker to fill it, not a midfielder.

“That’s a challenge. Some will tell you that they are looking for a defender. I have to wait. A lot of guys will be moving around now and I think it’s going to be an opportunity for me to start looking again,” Mtizwa told the South African media then.

Just like last year, Mtizwa is back in the trenches looking again for a window of opportunity.

Lionel’s father and CAPS United legend Stanford “Stix’’ Mtizwa gave the biggest hint yesterday that his son could yet retrace his roots to Zimbabwe.

“At the moment Lionel is in South Africa trying to work out if he can find a club to join in that country. He has told me that he will only try to get a team in the Premiership there and if nothing materialises he will return home but he really needs to be back in action,’’ Stix said.

Lionel’s former manager, Gibson Mahachi, also revealed that he had advised the combative midfielder to return home and revive his career in the domestic Premiership.

“At the moment I don’t know what is going on with Lionel, it has been a while since I got in touch with him as I am no longer representing him. My contract with him expired after the Sundowns deal so I don’t know what happened thereafter.

“I had suggested to him two years ago that he should come home and play for a season or two . . . I think by now he would have gone back to South Africa but it seems he had other ideas,’’ Mahachi said.

The respected Fifa player agent also said he was due to meet with the Dynamos management this week to finalise talks over the future of striker Simba Sithole and midfielder Russell Madamombe.

But Mahachi dispelled rumours that Sithole who has had brief stints in South Africa was heading to How Mine adding that he had also heard of reports linking the pair with a CAPS United move.

“I am just waiting to hear from Dynamos. We were supposed to meet but they said they were waiting for the chairman to return on Monday (yesterday) so anytime now we should be meeting. We have said we will talk to Dynamos first and only if nothing materialises will we look elsewhere.

“I have also heard stories that CAPS United are interested in them but I must say there nothing official that has come from CAPS United and Simba is not heading to How Mine. Remember last time the rumours were also saying he has joined FC Platinum?’’ Mahachi said. The Herald