Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
DEPTH is proving to be crucial in Scottland’s bid to land a league and cup double in their debut Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season.
The Mabvuku team are a point off Premiership leaders Simba Bhora with 10 games remaining.
While fighting tooth and nail to become the second team after Black Rhinos (in 1984) to win the league title in their Premiership bow, Scottland have yet another view angled at winning the Chibuku Super Cup.
They eased their way into the quarter-finals of the country’s premium knock-out competition, knocking out Greenfuel with a 1-0 win at Sakubva in Mutare.
Newboy Moses Shidolo, who impressed in his league debut in Scottland’s dominant 5-2 win at FC Platinum, got the goal that carried Tonderai Ndiraya’s charges to the next round.
And with games coming thick and fast, Ndiraya said depth is now helping them a lot.
Scottland have invested so much in player recruitment, bringing in quality to their doorstep early in the season and they have added even more steel in their ranks bringing in the likes of Shidolo and former Warriors captain Knowledge Musona in the mid-season window.
“Having more quality in the fold is really helping us as a team,” Ndiraya said.
“We have worked so hard this season just to gel in the players.
“You know it’s a process. As a new team, we had players coming in from different directions and diverse philosophies.
“We had to work on our own identity. Given what is involved, the process was cumbersome, and I can say it’s still work in progress.
“That’s why you noticed that we have been competitive but earlier on we were failing to stitch together even three wins in a row.
“But things are shaping up right now and I attribute that to the depth that we have in our ranks.”
Scottland have now won six games on the spin in all competitions including famously ending FC Platinum’s 23-match unbeaten run last week.
Only Tymon Machope’s name has consistently appeared on their scoreboard, yet they are always
scoring and Ndiraya said “That shows you we are not an individualistic entity. We are a team which can get goals from anywhere across the pitch.
“That’s the depth I am talking about. I mean, any player in our books can get in the team and deliver. There is never a single day that we can say because so and so are not available we will be weak.
“Any player who is thrown into the fray can still do the job for the team. I think if we are to do well in both the league and the Chibuku Super Cup, it will all be down to depth.
“We are now seeing that Return-on-Investment. We are very happy, but we need to focus on the job and see what happens.”
Ndiraya hasn’t only rotated his outfield personnel as he has also shared responsibilities for his three goalkeepers Nelson Chadya, Talbert Shumba and Kelvin Shangiwa.
“When I signed each of those goalkeepers, I told them that each of them would play a part.
“That’s what we are doing, and I am happy that each of them does well whenever they are called to serve,” added Ndiraya.
“We just sit down and see who fits for the opposition we would be facing. It’s about depth.”
The former Dynamos coach will become the first gaffer to win the league title with two different teams in consecutive years should Scottland go all the way this term.
He will also become the first coach to win two Chibuku Super Cup honours with different teams having grabbed the piece back in 2016 when he was in charge of Ngezi Platinum, should he guide the Mabviravira to the podium.
