Hard work ahead: Chicken Inn

CHICKEN INN technical director Joey Antipas says there is hard work ahead as they work to ensure the team improves from last season’s performance which saw them fail to secure a top-four finish.

Last season, the 2015 league champions finished on position seven after winning 11 games and losing on seven occasions.

They posted a massive 16 draws in the process.

Though the club is yet to make an official announcement, everything is pointing to Antipas leading the technical team with the assistance of Guide Goddard who has been promoted to the senior team technical setup.

A visit to the club’s training session yesterday saw the two in charge of the session.

Antipas says all focus right now is on preparing a competitive team for the 2024 season.

“This is our first intensive training. We have hard work ahead of us to improve from last season’s performance.

“The good thing is the players seem to be in shape and they are showing good enthusiasm. I can safely say all is good in terms of how we have started training,” said Antipas.

Among the new faces at the session were Elshaamar Farasi whose loan spell came to an end at Highlanders, Brendon Mpofu who was let go by Dynamos, former club captain Danny Phiri and another former Chicken Inn player Innocent Mucheneka.

Chicken Inn have so far lost the services of Shepherd Mhlanga to FC Platinum.

Antipas said squad assembling was still an on-going thing.

“We should be finalising the squad sometime next week. Right now we are open for good players to try and show us what they can bring to the team,” said Antipas.

Clubs have less time to prepare as the league is primed for an early start.

The season is expected to begin on February 24.

However, the first round of matches will be preceded by the Castle Challenge Cup match between league champions Ngezi Platinum Stars and Chibuku Super Cup winners Dynamos at Baobab Stadium a week earlier.

The domestic topflight normally starts in March.

The adjusted 2024 calendar has also prompted Premiership sides to expeditiously wrap up their transfer deals before embarking on the traditional six-week pre-season. – @innocentskizoe.