Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS chairman Kenneth Mhlophe, whose management team has been under fire from fans following the departure of some players as free agents, says they are working tirelessly on contract extension negotiations with key members of the squad.
The official announcement of the arrival of midfielder Brian Banda by FC Platinum last Friday, days after striker Tinashe Makanda had signed for Dynamos, triggered anger among Bosso fans, who accused the club of negligence by allowing contracts to run out, meaning players left as free agents.
At the beginning of the year, right-back McClive Phiri walked out of Bosso as a free agent and joined the now defunct Bidvest Wits. Midfielder Denzel Khumalo also joined league champions FC Platinum on a free after his contract lapsed.
What seemed to irk Bosso followers is that there seems to be a growing trend whereby key players walk out as free agents.
However, Mhlophe said while they try to tie down players, they faced challenges in matching offers made by corporate backed clubs like FC Platinum.
There are reports that FC Platinum tabled a US$7 500-per-year sign-on fee deal for Banda. The midfielder penned a two-year contract with the Zvishavane side.
“It’s not that nothing is being done to negotiate extensions with players whose contracts expire at the end of the year.
We’ve been engaging some players. If you look at it, club members said we mustn’t sign short-term contracts and we gave players two or more years contracts, which are about to expire. The challenge is that even as we court players to extend their stay, some keep us waiting or they toy around with us while buying time for their contracts to expire and then they leave,” said Mhlophe.
“However, it must be noted that while we’ve maintained a professional approach by waiting for Zifa to officially communicate to clubs on how to deal with player contracts through the PSL, we’ve been silently engaging our players on contract extensions. What we didn’t do as a professional side was to unscrupulously engage players from other clubs while we were pursuing the issue of a contract freeze collectively. Besides, the transfer window hasn’t opened so how do you deal with player movements?”
Among players that Bosso are engaging are goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda and midfielder Nqobizitha Masuku.
The duo’s deals expire in December.
Sibanda, the 2019 Premier Soccer League Goalkeeper of the Year, is said to have courted interest from Mozambique and South African First Division sides.
FC Platinum are also reportedly angling to raid Bosso for the signature of midfielder Masuku.
Should Masuku decide to rejoin FC Platinum for a second stint after 2015 before moving to Zambian side Buildcon, he will reunite with his former coach at Highlanders Hendrick Pieter de Jongh.
There are also reports that defender Peter Muduhwa could be on his way to either Chicken Inn or FC Platinum.
Muduhwa has always been admired by Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas and the last time the Gamecocks tried to lure the defender, they dangled a house as a sign-on fee for the player.
Sources said De Jongh believes Muduhwa can be a “good” replacement for Gift Bello when they venture into the Caf Champions League.
The Dutchman thinks Bello is “too short” for a defender.
Meanwhile, Mhlophe allayed fears of other clubs dismantling Bosso by luring their players.
“We will have a team when games start, and believe you me, that will be a winning team,” said Mhlophe. — @ZililoR
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