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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
CAPS United are expected to regroup this weekend when they retreat to Goromonzi for a three-day camping and rebuilding exercise.
The retreat is meant to revitalise the team as they begin their 2023 pre-season training on Monday in the capital.
But before the players burn some excess fat accumulated during the festive season, they will first meet and bond ahead of the new Castle Lager Premiership football season which the club is hoping will bring good fortunes for the team that last won the league title in 2016.
The weekend outing will also present a chance for the club to formally welcome and introduce their new signings to the club.
The former champions are optimistic that this year they will fare well in the league after a disastrous 2022 season.
Yesterday, the club chief executive, Charlie Jones, said they will use the bonding time to outline Makepekepe vision to the new players as well as the old players.
“It is a retreat as well as a workshop for our club.
“We will introduce our new players, have the players and coaches’ mix and mingle in harmony whilst having fun. It’s team building,” said Jones.
The ex-Makepekepe footballer-turned-administrator said the club is repositioning itself after a poor season.
“We are re-aligning ourselves as a club. We will be selling our vision to the players, and also get time to address things like code of conduct for the club among other issues,” said Jones.
He believes that the club is in the right position to gun for another league title this year after a tumultuous 2022 season where the club made headlines for the wrong reasons.
But the club’s statistics tip the Green Machine to rebound like a wounded lion this season.
The club’s history has shown a trend where the club does well after a lean season.
Each time they have a very bad season, the season that comes thereafter will be a bounty one.
In 2003, the team survived relegation on the last day of the season but went on to win the league title in 2004 and 2005 seasons.
It was the same tale in 2015, when the team was almost relegated and the following year they were victorious again.
But CAPS United needs to do more than rely on statistical facts as the majority of their competitors are beefing-up their squads and preparing for the 2023 season.
A number of clubs are on the market chopping and changing their squads.
The CAPS United executive could not be drawn to reveal some of the players they have signed so far or parted ways with.
But former Dynamos vice-captain Godknows Murwira has crossed the floor to the green side of the capital.
But the duo of Diego Makurumidze and Tichaona Zota Macheka will not be part of the Green Machine family after they moved to newly-promoted side Sheasham of Gweru.
Online Reporter