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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS Football Club will use their own facilities for the initial stages of their pre-season training as the Bulawayo City Council grounds remain closed for renovations.
Bosso will begin their training at the Clubhouse grounds this week under the watch of coach Baltemar Brito who arrived in the country on Saturday together with his first assistant Antonio Torres after almost a month in Portugal.
A notice sent by council late last year stated the city’s stadia Luveve, Barbourfields and White City which Bosso uses for fine-tuning will not be available till February as repair work is being carried out in preparation for the 2023 Premier Soccer League season which is expected to get underway next month.
“Closure of Barbourfields, Luveve and White City stadia: Notice is hereby given to members of the public that the above-mentioned stadia have been closed to the public from Friday, 23 December 2022 to Sunday, 15 February 2023. The closure is to facilitate maintenance work aimed at improving the turf in these stadia,” read the notice from BCC.
Nozibelo Maphosa, the Highlanders communications and marketing officer said all is in place ahead of the start of the season’s preparations.
On the day that Brito and Torres arrived to a warm reception from the Highlanders executive committee led by chairman Johnfat Sibanda, his deputy Sifiso Siziba, treasurer Busani Mthombeni and committee member Mgcini Mafu, the Bosso players underwent medical tests as they prepared to start their pre-season training.
Part of those who welcomed the coaches back to Zimbabwe was second assistant coach Joel Luphahla who was said to have left Highlanders but his employers have insisted that the former Zimbabwe Warriors winger is there to see out his contract at Bosso.
“The players have done their medicals and now training begins at the clubhouse. Council grounds are not available so we will be using our own for the time being,” said Maphosa.
Brito has already revealed that more transfer business will be taking place at the club in the next weeks.
He appears to have made a decision on the players coming in and out of Amahlolanyama who should be aiming for the championship this season having fought off a bad start to the 2021/22 campaign under Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu. Bosso finished fifth and were now under Brito.
Highlanders have promoted central midfielder Gillian Nyathi to the first team while 21-year-old FC Talen Vision tear-away winger Calvin “Kung-Fu Panda” Chigonero will be joining them on a season loan. They have recalled Reward Muza from loan at Bulawayo City. Defender Andrew Tandi has extended his stay at the club.
They have let go of midfielder Bukhosi Sibanda whose contract was not renewed when it expired on 31 December last year. — @innocentskizoe
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