adminamong the early pacesetters.
Ironically Diya, who has vowed to keep on working hard and maintain his form never played a single league game last year as Highlanders mounted a spirited challenge for the championship only to lose to Dynamos on goal difference.
Diya who has also previously seen duty with Zimbabwe Saints did not fully blossom at Dynamos whose goalkeeping department is headed by his elder brother Tichaona. After being rested for the Independence Cup, Diya was back in goal yesterday and justified why the Bosso coaches have made him their number one with some good saves from the DeMbare raids.
“The coaches have shown faith in me. It is rare that you get coaches that have confidence in you and give you a chance to play and prove yourself. So in return i just have to work hard and continue impressing the coaches,” said Diya.
However, Diya’s Rufaro homecoming show was not as sweet as he had hoped for and instead emotions got the best of him as he broke down after Dynamos centre back Partson Jaure grabbed a last minute equaliser for a share of the spoils by the two Premiership giants.
“I wasn’t under pressure to deliver today by playing against my former team as I treat all the games the same.
“It is unfortunate that we failed to collect maximum points after we had done everything. The referees when they say four minutes it should be four minutes and it was painful but it happens in football,” said Diya. Diya has become Highlanders fans’ favourite player and whenever the team is playing at home the Mpilo end would be chanting his name.
While Diya spoke about his life at Bosso, his coach Kelvin Kaindu said he no longer felt comfortable to give post match interviews claiming he is being wrongly quoted.
The Zambian mentor expressed his disappointment at the fact that he was quoted to have complained about the red card given to his striker Njabulo Ncube in the Uhuru Cup match.
Last week, the coach was in the eye of the storm after Highlanders lost to Dynamos in the Uhuru Cup at the National Sports Stadium and was reported to have said that he would quit Zimbabwean football due to bad officiating.
Kaindu said he was surprised to read in some newspapers that he had commented about match officiating.
“I no longer feel comfortable to comment as l am being misquoted.
“On Independence Day , we had the best set of referees and after the match I congratulated them together with the match commissioner for a brilliant job but I was surprised to read the next day in some newspapers that l have said I was not happy with the red card.
“It is not a good thing and it shouldn’t be like that,” said Kaindu.
The coach, however, could not shed more light, whether his sentiments over threats to quit local football and heading back to Zambia were also taken out of context.
Online Reporter