By Innocent Kurira
Highlanders’ pre-season preparations got off to another false start after senior players boycotted yesterday’s training session at White City Stadium.
Bosso seem headed for another turbulent pre-season campaign similar to last year’s when senior players decamped from the team’s base in Matobo.
That led to a poor start to the season dominated by player unrest.
From last season’s first team, Tinashe Makanda, Godfrey Makaruse, Tendai Ndlovu, Charlton Siamalonga, Bukhosi Sibanda, Vincent Moyo, Andrew Mbeba, Ray Lunga and Munyaradzi Chitambwe went through their paces under the watchful eyes of assistant coaches Mandla Mpofu and Bekithemba Ndlovu.
Dominic Jaricha and striker Dalubuhle Dlodlo from development side Bosso 90 also took part in the session.
Newly appointed head coach Mark Harrison watched from the sidelines as he is yet to be granted a work permit.
The absence of most senior players fuelled rumours of a possible player revolt but Bosso moved quickly to quash the rumours.
“All allegations that you may have heard are not true. For the first time in years, we are starting our pre-season without owing anyone anything in terms of league and cup money. So as far as we are concerned, we are clean and we expect everyone to report for work. We just hope by the end of the day today (yesterday) those who were not there would have notified the manager about the reasons for their absence,” said Moyo.
“As you are well aware during off-season, players go on holiday. We have the likes of Peter Muduhwa, Mbekezeli Sibanda, Divine Mhindirira and Cleopas Kapupurika, who excused themselves from training because they are still travelling back to base.
“Nqobizitha Masuku sent his representatives to inform us that he has not been feeling well and there are certain things that he has been sorting out and we expect him at training tomorrow. The only players we haven’t heard from are Brian Banda and Adrian Silla.”
Goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda and Mbongeni Ndlovu were also absent but are expected to report for duty in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Aces Youth Academy and former Harare City defender Collin Mujuru appears to be on his way to Bosso to reunite with former boss Harrison.
Mujuru, who was part of the national Under-20 Cosafa Cup squad in 2017, was among those that trained with Bosso yesterday. The Chronicle
