I am employed to play and that is all I want to focus on now – Pfumbidzai

By Langton Nyakwenda

Apart from dealing with a niggling groin injury that has kept him out of action for over six months, Ronald Pfumbidzai has also been waiting in suspense as his club Bloemfontein Celtic’s future is hanging in the balance.

There have been reports in the South African media that TS Galaxy owner, Tim Sukazi, intends to buy financially-struggling Celtic and move the club from Free State to Mpumalanga.

Sukazi was reported to have confirmed with Umhlobo Wenene FM, late last month, that a deal with Celtic was already done and dusted.

And Warriors left-back Pfumbidzai, who is back home and nursing his groin, has been following reports linking Siwelele with a possible takeover with keen interest.

The 25-year-old Pfumbidzai returned home on March 20, a few days before Government announced the first national lockdown and has since been training on his own in Zengeza, Chitungwiza.

“I have been reading and hearing stories about the possible sale of the club, but so far we have been assured by the club that all will be in order.

“However, if the club is sold then it’s something that I will not have control over. I will take it from there. But for now I have a running contract with Bloemfontein Celtic,” Pfumbidzai said.

“But, I usually do not want to focus on those things; my focus now is on getting better and playing again.

“I am employed to play and that is all I want to focus on now. I want to get fit again. “Yes, there are reports on various media outlets, but what I know is that nothing is concrete,” said Pfumbidzai.

The former CAPS United star defender has been battling a groin injury since December 2019 and underwent surgery in February.

He has made 11 appearances for Celtic this season.

He last played for Siwelele in a 3-5 loss to log leaders Kaizer Chiefs on December 7, 2019.

“I have a personal gym and a personal trainer, Fanuel Williams, who sometimes handles my schedule. But in some instances, I train alone at a local ground here in Zengeza.

“I have also been doing some physio sessions, but most of the time I am home with my family. You see, I cannot move around a lot during these trying times of the coronavirus, so I just relax at home.”

Pfumbidzai’s compatriot Terrence Dzvukamanja’s future in the South African PSL has also been thrown into doubt after his club Bidvest Wits were sold to Glad Africa Championship outfit Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) last week.

The deal is, however, yet to be ratified by the Premier Soccer League’s Executive Committee.

“The sale is a result of our shareholder Bidvest’s decision to review their sports-related sponsorships and brings to an end a 15-year long partnership,” read a statement from Wits last week.

Bidvest Wits chairperson Alan Fainman, midweek, made assurances that the sale would not affect the players’ contracts.

But TTM chief executive Sello Chokoe revealed that the club would allow players who have offers to leave and they will soon be finalising the deals with the current Wits management.

The club also announced that they would not be retaining Wits coach Gavin Hunt because they cannot afford the highly respected gaffer.

Dzvukamanja, who joined Wits from Zimbabwean side Ngezi Platinum Stars, has already been linked with a move to former African champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

However, the 26-year-old forward was coy when The Sunday Mail Sport spoke to him last Friday.

“For now what I know is that I am still a Bidvest Wits player because I am still contracted to the club. You can contact my manager for more details,” he said.

The Warriors striker had scored three goals in 16 appearances for Wits before the South African PSL was stopped by the coronavirus in March.

Dzvukamanja’s manager Gibson Mahachi told this publication that his client was safe “either way”.

“The sale has not been finalised as yet. Remember, it has to be ratified by the PSL. So before that we cannot comment much about the future of Terrence, but what I can assure you is that the player is safe either way.

“We will talk about his issue when the PSL has endorsed and ratified the sale of the club. We hope this could be next week. But, the player is safe; we have got it covered.”

Dzvukamanja joined Wits in July 2019, after impressing at Ngezi and is one of two Zimbabweans, including Douglas Mapfumo, on the Johannesburg club’s books. Sunday Mail