Bosso plot dressing room raids

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
Highlanders are set to invade dressing rooms of three Premier Soccer League teams as they push to add four players to their squad during the January transfer window and in time for the resumption of league games next month.

The Bulawayo giants initially wanted to bring in six new players, but have seemingly given up on the Chicken Inn duo of Obrey Chirinda and George Majika after the Gamecocks said the players were still contracted to them.

Chirinda, however, is said to be out of contract and using that leverage to bargain for a better package from teams that are interested in his services.

Chicken Inn secretary Tawengwa Hara said nothing official has come from Highlanders, but insisted that it was not in the club’s culture to let players go for free, especially after investing a lot in them.

“There are some players you can hold onto for progress of the club and some have to leave after their services, but this issue of leaving for free is not our policy, especially if you are under contract and have obligations to the club,” said Hara.

It’s the second time in less than a year that Bosso have failed to lure Chirinda after initially courting him in April last year ahead of the mid-season transfer window.

Bosso seem to have given up judging by the wish list the coaches submitted to the club as it has none of the two Chicken Inn players, although there is a slight possibility of eventually landing the diminutive Majika.

Bosso acting chief executive officer Ronald Moyo confirmed on Wednesday that the coaches had submitted their wish list, but refused to name the targeted players.

However, sources told Chronicle Sport that the wish list has the FC Platinum duo of Stanley Ngala and Silas Songani, Triangle United goalkeeper Ralph Pitisi as well as Bulawayo Chiefs skipper Malvin Mkolo.

Besides goalkeeper Pitisi, all the targeted players have killer instincts in front of goal and may be the remedy coach Mandla Mpofu needs to change his side’s fortunes that have seen them firing blanks in their last five competitive matches, two in the Chibuku Super Cup and three in the league.