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Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
PREMIER Soccer League returnees, Bulawayo City are making alternative plans just in case Zifa do not accede to their request to have their coach Try Ncube exempted.
City’s acting chief executive officer, Horace Ndubiwa said they wrote to Zifa last month following their promotion back to the top flight and are hoping to get a response before the end of this week as they start making preparations for the 2020 season.
Amakhosi believe that Ncube, who holds a Caf B badge, has what it takes to be at the helm of their technical department as they take on the big boys in local football again.
“We are cognisant that it is not given that Zifa will readily approve our request hence we are making plans to rope in a coach who already possesses a Caf A badge in case we are turned down. We are talking to two coaches who hold Caf A to see if they are available if we are turned down,” said Ndubiwa.
Sources at the Bulawayo City Council-owned side revealed Philani “Beefy” Ncube is likely to bounce back to head the coaching department as he has the requisite qualifications and is already a council employee.
Ndubiwa said they want to start pre-season preparations early, with the wheels being set in motion once they have appointed a substantial coach.
Meanwhile, City are reportedly on the verge of clinching a sponsorship deal with a top financial services company that will see the entity financing them for this season.
Ndubiwa said they are in talks with several potential sponsors but declined to name them, citing only beverages company, Ingwebu Breweries, whom they engaged late last year.
“There are several potential sponsors that we are talking to with the hope of securing financial support as the council will not be able to fully fund our campaign in light of the difficult economic conditions.
“On Ingwebu we have not concluded anything with them but we are still in talks. Unfortunately, I am not at liberty to name the other companies we are talking to at this stage. However, we are likely to announce our new partners in the next two weeks as it is critical that we tie up our financing needs as soon as possible to adequately prepare for the season,” he said.
Sources at City said the financial services firm approached the club in 2018 and showed interest in providing sponsorship on condition they remain in the Premiership.
“We maintained talks with them throughout last year and when we got promoted, we officially wrote to them and we got a positive response and we are now awaiting finalisation of the amount they will be funding us with before the partnership is unveiled,” added the impeccable source.
Online Reporter