Benjani hails Highlanders for letting legend Phiri be in camp

BENJANI Mwaruwari has praised his bosses for agreeing to his request to have Highlanders legend Lawrence Phiri travel with the club to Gaborone, Botswana, for the pre-season camp.
Bosso left Zimbabwe last week on Wednesday and are expected back in the country today to finalise preparations for the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League derby clash with Bulawayo Chiefs at Barbourfields Stadium.

“I would like to thank the club for the opportunity to travel with a club legend who knows the institution very well. He has a lot of institutional memory and even a good grounding on technical matters. It was a masterstroke as far as I am concerned,” said Mwaruwari on Monday evening.

Phiri joined Highlanders as a junior, played in almost every position, and was part of the 1970 team that earned promotion to the elite league. This was two years after Highlanders left the amateur ranks, having initially opted out of semi professional football when it was introduced in 1963.

He enjoyed many defining moments with the club, helping Bosso win their first major national trophy, the 1973 Chibuku Trophy, as well as three consecutive regional titles in 1973, 1974 and 1975, a national title play off in 1974 and a second place finish in the 1976 Super League.

Just before retiring, he added the 1980 Chibuku Trophy and Heroes Cup to his honours. He later guided Highlanders to several cup successes as manager, working alongside Barry Daka and later Roy Barreto.

When he moved to Botswana, he played an influential role in transforming Notwane FC into a powerhouse that even qualified for continental football.

“His presence around the team has been magnificent, he is a club legend and a big figure in Botswana. He has had a chance to be with the boys and educate them on the club’s history, legacy and successes.

They have an appreciation of the club culture through him and we are grateful for that,” said Mwaruwari.
Phiri has also been assisting the club during their stay, as he works and lives in Gaborone. “Where ever we have been, people have stopped to greet him. He is popular here and that has been an inspiration to the boys,” said Mwaruwari.

The Highlanders family is hoping for a much better season than last year’s 11th place finish. Mwaruwari’s arrival, together with an entirely new coaching department, has fuelled optimism. Some have even drawn parallels with the 1998 season, when the club was financially strained and lacked big name players.

Despite those challenges, Highlanders went on to develop players who became club legends, winning four consecutive league titles and adding a fifth four years later, in a highly successful eight year spell.

That era produced the current manager Zenzo Moyo, assistant coaches Bekithemba Ndlovu and Mkhokheli Dube, and goalkeepers’ coach, Malvern Moyo.

Dazzy Kapenya, Thabani Masawi, Thulani Ncube, Siza Khoza, Gift Lunga (Jnr), Blessing Gumiso and Noel Kaseke are among the other notable names who emerged during that period.