Maseko challenges Bosso on title

HIGHLANDERS AND Zimbabwe football legend, Alexander Maseko believes his former club is still work in progress and has to up its game to be viewed as title contenders.

“There is still a lot of work to be done with the side. So many frailties that I am seeing from a distance that need to be addressed now. The league is a marathon with lots of game tactics and there is a need to get certain things right from the onset,” said the 1990 league and cup double winner with Highlanders.

Maseko is not impressed with the centre back duo of Peter Muduhwa and Andrew Mbeba. He said their game will see Bosso missing them in crucial matches as they have a propensity to get unnecessary cards during matches.

Last year, Muduhwa missed out on the calendar because of his behaviour. He still rates among the best centre backs in the league and is a fighter on the field.

Maseko said the two centre backs are key players to the Highlanders set up, but must know that they are not bigger than the club and fans who sacrifice the little they have to watch them every week. He said the club and supporters deserve respect.

“I think the club must rein them in and ensure they respect the badge. We all worked hard on the field for the badge and the people. Rarely did we challenge referees, once the whistle was blown. We took our defensive positions and played to it, respecting the man in the centre and the fans.

I do not see that in the duo and my challenge to them is that they must tone down on their antics and look at improving their game and be better players. They are key players in the set up, but that must not get to their heads.

“We won every cup with Highlanders from 1984-1990 but it was until we had won the league in 1990 that we came of age. Until they have won the championship with the Black and White, they have won nothing.

The challenge stays for them to be disciplined and hardworking and play for the badge,” said Maseko, undoubtedly, alongside Ephraim Chawanda, Sunday Chidzambwa, Tobias Sibanda, Majid Dhana, Francis Shonhayi, Ernest Mutano, Ephert Lungu, Douglas Mloyi and Dick Banda the best centrebacks in the 1980s.

Maseko also noted that the team is weak in central defence and needs a gritty midfielder.

“Look at us, we had Willard Khumalo, Tito Paketh, Amin Soma-Phiri and Titus Majola doing all the dirty work for us. Bosso’s anchorman is too light and the centrebacks clean tacklers. They are getting yellow-carded for dissent and other things, not for defence related issues.

The challenge is to sort out the anchorman role and central defence and then probably we could gun for the championship,” said Maseko from his Johannesburg, South Africa, base.Maseko believes the young players being thrown in are a positive development.

“That is the way to go, youths are the future of the club and the team’s investment,” said Maseko,
He bemoaned the present culture of no curtain raisers at stadia.“We were motivated by supporters all the way to the first team.

They would make sure you graduate from one age group to the next with their seal of approval. As a junior, you grew to appreciate the supporters’ role and expectations. We need curtain raisers back. We are even losing fans to drinking because they will be idle from morning,” said Maseko, who won the 1993 South African league title with Mamelodi Sundowns.Maseko is respected on both sides of the Limpopo River.