Chicken Inn in Deco, Majika boost as Jompano returns to PSL

FORMER Castle Lager Premier Soccer League champions Chicken Inn will welcome the services of their holding midfielder Danny ‘Deco” Phiri when they face ambitious Simba Bhora in a league match that will be played at Bulawayo’s Luveve Stadium on Sunday.

Phiri was on a two-game suspension that saw him miss his club’s two matches against Dynamos and Bulawayo Chiefs.

“We welcome back Danny Phiri and George Majika from suspension and injury respectively. All I can say we missed Danny through his suspension and we are glad that he is back and eligible to do duty for us,” Chicken Inn head coach Joey Antipas.

He added: “We are happy that Danny’s experience is back. He is a gifted and experienced player. We also missed George who is also our fine and experienced player. Phiri is an experienced and gritty midfielder who can help us to get our desired results. His absence in our last two games was really felt. He is a hard worker and as we have him back, we are ready to go.”

Meanwhile in a surprise rebound to the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League, Herbert Maruwa has reportedly joined TelOne as the new team head coach, replacing Tendai Chikuni who parted ways with the club earlier in the week.

Maruwa who is coming from Division One side and financially crippled Harare City where he had led the team to a seven games unbeaten run, will be unveiled today in Gweru.

The reputable gaffer joined the Municipality side at the start of the year after a lengthy job hunting phase following his departure at Harare giants Dynamos in August, 2023.

He leaves Harare City perched at the top of the Northern Region league log standings with 19 points, three ahead of close followers MWOS.

“I cannot give much details until everything has been done but indeed something has been happening behind the scenes in the past two days,” he said.

“Tomorrow (today) everything will be done and dusted and only then can I reveal more.”Jompano as he is affectionately known, tendered his resignation at Harare City, seeking to be relieved of his duties with immediate effect.

This means that the municipality team will have to either face MWOS, in the lower division’s top of the table clash slated for Friday at Norton’s Ngoni Stadium without a substantive gaffer or they will hastily replace him.

In his five months stay at Harare City, the local authority allegedly failed to deliver their end of the deal they had struck with the former Black Rhinos and Dynamos man.

HCC is said to have promised the coach a vehicle which they did not deliver, resulting in the gaffer’s departure through frustration.Further, Maruwa reportedly barely got his salaries, resulting in the reputable mentor having to largely survive on allowances hence his decision to leave the club.