Back to the drawing board for Triangle United?

Raymond Jaravaza

TRIANGLE United – the Sugar Boys – are losing more stock than they are receiving with eight players having deserted the Lowveld club so far, compared to the handful that has joined the team ahead of the 2020 Premiership season. 

The player exodus has prompted the club to take the not-so-convincing route of calling for trials last weekend to try and bolster their squad. 

For a team that represented the country in the CAF Confederations Cup, calling for trials to beef up a squad that played in the African Safari is hardly convincing. 

Some of their opponents in the Premier Soccer League have been on shopping sprees. 

Head coach Taurai Mangwiro is, however, not fazed by the loss of eight of his best players and possibly more before the close of the transfer window period. 

“Player movement during the off-season is part of the game and unfortunately we have been at the receiving end of losing some of our best players but that is not the end of the world. 

“There are a lot of factors that players consider when they decide to stay put or leave a club and sometimes as a team, we have no control over those factors,” Mangwiro told B-Metro Sport. 

The first choice central defence of Kudzai Chigwada and Donald Dzvinyai left the Lowveld based side for the two moneybags – Ngezi Platinum and FC Platinum respectively. 

The club’s 2019 star player Ralph Kawondera also made his way to Zvishavane to join local reigning champions FC Platinum while the trio of Anelka Chivandire, Nyasha Chintuli and Marion Chang trekked hundreds of kilometres to Mhondoro to join Ngezi Platinum. 

Goalkeeper Tapiwa Chilenga has reportedly made his desire to move away from the club known while midfielder Trevor Mavhunga is pushing for a move to Caps United. 

With the club losing so many players, only two notable signings – Jameson Mukombwe and former Highlanders striker Ralph Matema – have since joined the club from Black Rhinos and Yadah FC respectively. 

“Holding trials is one of the ways of beefing up a team after losing players but our aim is to identify young players who can be moulded into future Triangle United players. We will not pick players just for the sake of filling slots. 

“We are also engaging a number of players that we want to be part of the team in the upcoming season and those negotiations are going on well,” added Mangwiro.