By Raymond Jaravaza
Four senior Highlanders FC players could be on their way out of Bosso as the club concludes the signing of players for the 2017 Premier Soccer League campaign.
All but one player recommended by the technical team led by head coach Erol Akbay have put pen to paper for the new season.
Defender Honest Moyo is expected to sign a new contract today as he was in South Africa for the festive season.
But the future looks bleak for club captain Felix Chindungwe, veteran goalkeeper Njabulo Nyoni, left-winger Julius Daudi and striker Ralph Matema, with indications they were not offered new contracts.
The players’ previous one-year deals expired on December 31, 2016.
Highlanders’ acting chairman Modern Ngwenya could neither deny nor confirm that the senior players were on their way out of Bosso.
The four have also been conspicuous by their absence from training sessions being conducted by goalkeepers’ coach Cosmas Zulu.
Akbay is still in his native Holland, while assistant coach Amini Soma-Phiri is attending a Caf A licence course at the Zifa Village in Harare.
“It would be unethical and unprofessional for us (the club) to announce to the media the names of the players whose contracts we will not be renewing because we have not officially informed them. But in a week’s time we will announce the names of the players who will not be part of Highlanders for the 2017 season,” said Ngwenya.
“All the players that were recommended by the technical team have renewed their contracts, except for Honest Moyo whom we expect to sign tomorrow morning (today).
“All the players that we wanted to retain have signed new contracts and it is now up to the coaches to recommend new players to beef up the squad”.
Ngwenya said the contracts for coaches Zulu and Soma-Phiri have been extended by a further one year.
Zifa Southern Region Division One League side Bosso90 head coach Melusi Sibanda and manager Marko Dube have been given a fresh mandate to lead the development side, while junior coaches Siza Khoza and Gift Lunga Jr have also signed new contracts.
Three players from Bosso90 will be promoted to the senior team to join other youngsters Nkosana Ndlovu and Bukhosi Ncube to make up the five mandatory Under-20 players required to be part of the 2017 squad under the PSL rules and regulations.
Zulu has already drawn up a training programme for the team before the return of Akbay and Phiri next month in preparation for the new season.
“Before the head coach left for the holidays, we held a meeting where we discussed the type of players we want to sign for the new season, the number of friendly matches we will play, as well as the teams we will play against,” said Zulu.
“From next week we will start playing friendly matches, but I want to start with a small team then take on Division One teams and eventually play against fellow Premiership teams. We have eight players that are on trials and the head coach is aware of what is happening on the ground,” Zulu said.
Akbay is expected in Bulawayo in the first week of February. The Chronicle
