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Phineas Mukwazo Sports Editor
THE team is gelling, we thought we were gradually building a team, but because of the determination of these guys, they have jumped some of the steps of that process, and I can safely say we are already there, says How Mine coach Luke Masomere. The self-proclaimed doctor of Zimbabwean football, a coach who never shies away from the media, had no kind words for journalists for always using terms like snatching to describe player movements.
To snatch, according to the dictionary, is to: to quickly seize (something) in a rude or eager way.
“We do not snatch players, we sign players’’ says Vahombe, as Luke is affectionately known.
Giving an example of his side’s recent signing, Zimbabwe youth international Mgcini Sibanda, Masomere said: “How can you say we captured a Highlanders striker. He is not the only young man who was at Highlanders, who has gone somewhere else. It is just a natural movement of players.
“Players come on their own (seeking greener pastures). We don’t ‘snatch’ them, neither do we ‘capture’ them. Some players have also moved from How Mine to other teams.”
Masomere said they were set to build a potent football team that should win something, that will compete for every silverware on offer, “though we are aware of the big task at hand”.
Vahombe said he felt indebted to the support from How Mine FC’s parent company Metallon Gold, the clubs’ executive and generally everyone involved with the football institution.
“The onus is on us to do our best, and complement that support and goodwill. At How Mine everyone shares the same philosophy as mine. We have to improve from last season although we are not under pressure, but we will definitely compete.’’
Last season How Mine completed their account on eighth position on the 16 team log standings, and Masomere said he would be happy if they bettered that record.
“We will be happy even if we finished among the top seven and then hoping next year we climb higher,’’ he said.
Some people are already labelling How Mine as a club that has shunned its geographical area, Matabeleland by recruiting players mainly from Harare, with others labelling the team a Dynamos B side, but Masomere rubbished those insinuations.
“A team can’t be second string; we have to be a complete side. Dynamos get players from elsewhere, Highlanders also buy players. Both these teams lack a sound junior policy. How Mine is also doing the same thing (buying players),” said Masomere.
Turning back to the potent force that he has built, Masomere was overly optimistic.
“I have been talking to the players, they now understand my way of doing things. I don’t favour anyone, I personally recruited them, and I will use them accordingly,’’ he said.
The acquisitions by the gold miners include former ZPC Kariba marksman and Soccer Star of the Year second runner-up Limited Chikafa, former Highlanders striker Charles Sibanda. Both Sibanda and Chikafa graced last season’s soccer stars calendar with the former sharing the Golden Boot award with Kudakwashe Musharu, who has been retained by How Mine for the 2015 league season. Both Sibanda and Musharu were the country’s joint top goal scorers on 12 goals apiece.
This means Masomere has assembled a mean strike force made up of last season’s joint top goal scorers and Chikafa who finished with nine goals.
How Mine have also roped in Devon Chafa and Tawanda Muparati from DeMbare, and shot-stopper Munyaradzi Diya from Highlanders.
The gold miners have also reunited with former front-runner Benjamin Marere who had a short stint with FC Platinum before retracing his footsteps to the Bulawayo-based gold miners.
Ex-Caps United skipper Tapiwa Khumbuyani has also joined the club, as well as striker Leftara Ndale who is coming from Masvingo United.
Online Reporter