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CHICKEN Inn FC’s junior policy is bearing fruit with the club set to promote eight players from their Under-18 side into the senior team.
The fastfood outlets sponsored football club have been in the Premiership for three seasons having won the Zifa Southern Region Division One Soccer League in 2010.
After winning the Premiership ticket, the Gamecocks brought in a number of players in the mould of Kudakwashe Mahachi, Danny Phiri and Liberty Chirava from Bantu Rovers as well as Hardbody’s duo of Moses Jackson and Brian Juru to cement their stay in the top flight.
The ambitious Bulawayo club established their juniors in 2011 which were headed by Simba Mutumbuki and the first graduates consist of five midfielders Leroy Chasveka, Joey Arimoni, Michael Bhebhe, Tinashe Mthimkhulu and Brighton Manyere, goalkeeper Wandile Ndlovu, defender Derrick Chisale and utility player Devine Lunga.
Five out of the eight players will be registered in five Premiership slots reserved for Under-20 players.
“We have been monitoring these players for some time now and we are happy with the progress that they have made.
“I believe the club is doing the right thing by investing in a junior policy and giving local youngsters a chance to shine. It doesn’t make sense for us to keep getting Under-20 players from outside Bulawayo when we have a vibrant junior development policy.
“I am confident that these players will make an impact once they are given Premiership game time. If I made it at Zimbabwe Saints at the age of 17, what can hinder these players from making an impression in the Premiership next season?” asked Chicken Inn’s assistant coach Sikhumbuzo “China” Banda.
Banda spent the better part of last season with the juniors.
Chicken Inn has drawn an off-season programme for the up-and-coming stars that has seen the eight players being joined by 20-year-old defender Lawrence “Dazzy” Mhlanga who was on loan to Monomotapa, Patrick Majuta and Khalimani Ncube who were at Quelaton alongside Chisale last season.
The players who will be training with the first team when the pre-season camp starts on January 7 have been working out at Body Active Health Studio and are on a weight gain programme.
Lifa Ncube, the Chicken Inn chairman said producing their own players is going to save them resources.
“In the long run it’s cheaper to produce our own players. We cannot keep on buying players when we have some of the boys with a potential to shine. As Chicken Inn, we always strive to unleash raw talent or unknown players instead of going for those that are on demand on the market.
“Those that are not known tend to play well and those who are in the limelight largely fail to make an impact because of high expectations from the public,” said Ncube.
Chicken Inn skipper Felix Chindungwe, Chirava, Mahachi, Phiri and Canaan Nkomo are some of the Gamecocks players who have over the years managed to rise to the occasion.
Online Reporter