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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS coach Baltemar Brito is a man on a mission but the Portuguese will prefer to play his cards close to his chest ahead of the start of the 2023 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season.
Brito, who is now in his second month of pre-season training with the giants, inherited a huge responsibility as he has to turn around the fortunes of a club that has gone 17 years without winning the league title.
The Portuguese coach was largely credited for Bosso’s strong finish last season after joining them midway through the season, in June 2022.
Many of the Bosso faithful would love to see their team fighting for the big prize this year.
In fact, they have been yearning for this for many years but it appears the football gods have turned their backs on one of the country’s biggest and most successful clubs.
Brito, a UEFA Pro coaching license holder with vast experience, having worked as Jose Mourinho’s assistant coach at FC Porto in Portugal, Chelsea in England, and Inter Milan in Italy, will be in charge of the Bulawayo giants up to December 2023.
This inevitably makes the 2023 season crucial for him and the Bosso family. But when asked about his targets during the recent ZIFA CAF A Elite Coaches refresher course, the 71-year-old remained modest.
“I don’t have set targets now because I need to work and finish on my team first and then also try and study the opponents,” he said
“So for now it’s very early to have targets. My target is to do my best; me, my staff and my players.”
Brito arrived at Bosso with a rich curriculum vitae, having worked under the legendary Jose Mourinho and winning two UEFA Champions League titles, one UEFA Cup, two English Premier League titles, two Portuguese League titles, two Italian Championships, and one FA cup among other cups in his coaching career.
Bosso were languishing in 13th position on the league table with 16 points from 13 games when his predecessor Mandla Mpofu was sacked.
But the giants made huge strides towards the backend of the campaign and finished in fifth place with 51 points. Brito has been working well with his assistants Joel Lupahla and Antonio Joao Martins Leao Torres.
They were the only team that attracted huge crowds last season, when most of the local teams struggled to attract spectators to the stadium.
Bosso are now in the second month of their pre-season. They had a three-day pre-season camp in Beitbridge recently and had previously tested their strength in a friendly match against PSL newcomers Sheasham and drew 0-0 at Ascot.
Veteran goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda is expected to captain the team again this season, assisted by Mbongeni Ndlovu. Apart from losing Adrian Silla to rivals CAPS United, Toto Banda and vice-captain Nqobizitha Masuku to Jwaneng Galaxy of Botswana, they have largely kept their squad intact.
Players like Rahman Kutsanzira, Achford Faira, Peter Muduhwa, Godfrey Makaruse, Andrew Mbeba, Stanley Ngala, Lynoth Chikuhwa, Washington Navaya and Ray Lunga are still in their books.
Andrew Tandi also renewed his contract with the club for a further one year.
Brito is likely to benefit from the continuity. Bosso also recalled Reward Muza from his loan at Bulawayo City following an impressive spell at Amakhosi. Muza was loaned out to BCC in the beginning of the 2021/22 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season.
Highlanders also signed versatile 25-year-old midfielder Melikhaya Ncube from Bulawayo City on a three-year deal. Brito believes the pre-season programme has been unfolding well, apart from the wet weather conditions that have sometimes hampered their outdoor plans.
“The pre-season wasn’t too good because the weather was difficult here but I think it is now getting better.
“I hope we will continue working well.
“My team is almost the same as it was last season. We just need to work hard to try and make the best out of it,” said Brito.
Bosso, who won their last league title in 2006 under Methembe Ndlovu, host ZPC Kariba on the opening day of the 2023 Premiership season, followed by an away trip to Black Rhinos, then square off with FC Platinum at Barbourfields before locking horns with Chicken Inn in a local derby.
On match day five, Highlanders welcome archrivals Dynamos at Barbourfields Stadium.
Bosso’s five opponents are no pushovers, with the Bulawayo giants only managing 11 points from a possible 30 against the five teams last season
Online Reporter