adminHighlanders have not been impressive in the four friendly matches they have played so far although their supporters will take solace in that the team has scored in all those games.
Over the weekend, they played two games against Chrome Stars in Kwekwe and registered 1-0 and 3-1 wins respectively.
Head coach Kelvin Kaindu told Chronicle Sport that his 2012 army will be ready this coming weekend although he was at first not willing to name the exact date when the squad will be named, a suggestion that the Zambian was afraid to put his head on the block, lest some more players are brought in again.
“I am sure by next week the team will be ready, you will know the composition of our team,” said Kaindu, who joined the club this year after the sacking of Mkhuphali Masuku.
When he joined Highlanders, he was informed that 35 players were already on five-year contracts and that the club was not going to have trials as has been the case in previous years.
“It is true that we had new players joining us last week and that somehow puts me in a lot of pressure in terms of working with a large pool of players. However, one must also appreciate that Highlanders is a club for everyone and if people feel there are certain players who can fit into the system, then we will have them,” said Kaindu, who has a two-year contract.
Some of those who joined Highlanders were players who deserted Zimbabwe Saints during the second half of the 2011 season. Chikwata were eventually relegated.
However, this is against a resolution that was made by members during the annual general meeting that the club should desist from having a large pool of players coming from outside its juniors as most of the new players won’t be having the club at heart but just want to resuscitate their careers at the expense of juniors.
“Juniors will always have a place in our team, if they are good that is, because they are the future of Highlanders,” said Kaindu.
Highlanders chairman Peter Dube is on record as saying the club will not chase away good players who want to join the 2006 league champions.
A source at the club said it was worrying that rejects of other clubs were finding a comfort zone at such a big institution like Highlanders.
Highlanders managed to retain most of their 2011 players who included goalkeeper Arial Sibanda, defenders Lawson Nkomo, Innocent Mapuranga, Honest Moyo, Bruce
Tshuma, Tendai Ndlovu and Brighton Choto, midfielders Simon Munawa, Eric Mudzingwa, Arnold “Majaivana” Tshuma, Bruce Kangwa, Knox Mutizwa, Arnold Ndiweni, Mgcini Sibanda and Graham Ncube, and the squad is likely going to revolve around them with a few additions like former Hwange midfield enforcer Andrew Chuma.
Players likely to be taken aboard are goalkeeper Josphat Sibanda, a Bosso junior product who was with Beitbridge-based Tripple B, Brighton Dube, another junior product who was offloaded by FC Platinum, and former Hwange skipper Obert Moyo.
Online Reporter