Arenel assesses two senior players

FORMER Chicken Inn and Highlanders forward Toto Banda and a defender from Ghana Abdurahman Kassim are training with topflight league new boys Arenel as the club looks to finalise their squad for the 2024 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season.

Arenel has not made wholesome changes to the squad that won them promotion and Banda and Kassim may be among the additions. Former Chicken Inn captain Moses Jackson, Cripsen Machisi and Timothy January are some of the new players at Arenel.

Arenel coach Farai Tawechera says he is happy with how the team has prepared for their debut campaign.

“We have prepared well.

This is the highest level of football in the county and you can never say we are ready but you can only work to ensure you can compete with the best. We believe the squad is now taking shape,” said Tawechera.

Arenel will play host to defending champions Ngezi Platinum in their season opener set for the first week of March.

Arenel ended their Southern Region Division One campaign without a loss under the guidance of Kudzai Mhandire who has since been re-assigned to the post of team manager. This comes after the club lured former Quelaton and Bulawayo City gaffer Tawechera to take over as the new head coach. Meanwhile, Arenel is in the process of entering into a partnership with Harare-based Genesis Sporting to be their official kit sponsor.

The proposed agreement between the two parties that was gleaned by this publication reads:

“The free kit package will be made up of the following items (a) up to 32 sets of football uniforms (home), (b) up to 32 sets of football uniforms (away) (c) up to eight coaching uniforms (d) two sponsor branded banners (e) 20% discount on all sportswear orders from Genesis Sporting for the duration of the agreement. Genesis Sporting will recover its costs through sales of replicas to fans. Additionally, more items will be added to the package if certain sales targets are met.”

Upon reaching a target of selling 200 replicas the following will be added to the package.

After reaching a target of selling 300 replicas, the club will get 32 tracksuits, the same number of travelling shirts and toiletry bags will be added.-@innocentskizoe