Mapuranga, Tshuma hang boots

Fungai Muderere
It could be graduation time for former Highlanders FC players Innocent aï¿½?Msholoziaï¿½? Mapuranga and Bruce Tshuma who are tipped to likely become part of newly promoted Bulawayo Cityaï¿½ï¿½s backroom staff.

The two, upon leaving Highlanders FC joined the highly ambitious Bulawayo City as part players bringing in experience as the team marched on in Division One.

But with age now not on their side, they have of late been assisting coaches.

aï¿½?I cannot say Mapuranga and Bruce haveAï¿½ assumed coaching roles. At the moment they are just helping out in formulation of our junior policy structures. We are still planning, having just put a foot in with regards to the establishment of our junior policy structure,aï¿½? said Bulawayo City chairman Jerry Sibanda.

While Mapuranga wasAï¿½ successful at a personal level since joining Bosso at an already advanced age of 32 in 2009, it was hisAï¿½ desire to win the championship with Highlanders that kept him in the game. However, nothing came out of that dream.

During his stay at Bosso, the former Railstars footie was relatively phenomenal in the process earning his first national team call up at the age of 35 in 2012 for a friendly match against Zambia.

Tshuma and Mapuranga led a great defensive line in the heart of defence which inspired the moniker aï¿½?Durawallaï¿½?.

At the end of last season theirAï¿½ aged legs seemed to be tiring, yearning for rest, as was evident during a couple of defensive mix-ups they wereAï¿½ involved in; mistakes which were profitable to the opponent strikers.