Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube
HIGHLANDERS coach Benjani Mwaruwari has called on his players to dedicate the weekend’s clash with Caps United to the departed quartet of chairman Kenneth Mhlophe, his deputy Fiso Siziba, board member finance Nkani Khoza and club member Mbalenhle Sibanda.
The quartet died last week on Thursday evening, 26 hours after watching the club lose 1-0 to ZPC Kariba at Nyamhunga Stadium and they have since been buried.
Mhlophe was buried on Tuesday with full military honours at Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo while Sibanda was laid to rest at her family home at Hlatshwayo area of Insiza District.
Siziba and Khoza were buried a day earlier at Lady Stanley Cemetery.
“We have to work, what can we do?” said Mwaruwari.
Highlanders travel to Harare for a date with Caps United at Rufaro on Sunday hopeful of a positive result to stay in the Castle Lager Premiership race.
Mwaruwari said they were working on getting the team to see counsellors.
“I will be meeting the acting chairman this afternoon. I will raise it with him that the boys need to be put in the right psychological mindset ahead of the match. It was not easy, they were with the leadership in Kariba and then boom something like that happens, it is bound to have an effect, as a club we are a family.
“We need counselling for the boys; we need to do it on Friday before we leave for the weekend match. I will speak to the chairman this afternoon (yesterday).
“We need to manage the situation delicately. We have not trained from Thursday last week because of the tragedy,” said Mwaruwari.
The coach reported a clean bill of health with all players looking forward to selection.
