NGEZI IN FOR THE LONG HAUL, SAYS CLUB BOSS

Don Makanyanga

Zimpapers Sports Hub

NGEZI Platinum Stars have dismissed speculation that they are about to close shop and insist the club already has a masterplan for, at least, the next decade.

The former champions said they want to regularly play in the CAF inter-club tournaments.

“We intend to have Ngezi Platinum Stars emerge as one of the key contenders on the African continent,” said club president Takawira Maswiswi.

“And, if we do win the Chibuku Cup, which we hope we will, it means we go back into Africa, we’ll get experience, we’ll start playing against the big teams because that is where we want to be and we want to be consistently in Africa.

“So, in the next five to ten years, we want to build a strong team that competes at the highest level in Africa and that is the legacy we want to create and it will go beyond ten years.”

Amid speculation of late payment of players last month, Maswiswi admits that the operating environment has not been ideal for clubs in the country.

“We can’t really talk about player welfare in the public domain, but what I can comment and say is that we have established Ngezi Platinum Stars as a very solid club in terms of structure, in terms of the systems we have and the investment that we’ve put into the club over the years.

“If you look at the situation in Zimbabwe over the past few months particularly, we have seen a lot of businesses in distress.

“Ngezi Platinum Stars is not alone in terms of being exposed to the environment in Zimbabwe. A lot of clubs, in fact, probably almost all the clubs in the PSL are affected one way or the other to a different magnitude.”

Ngezi Platinum Stars have set their sights on the Chibuku Super Cup as they eye a quick return to the African safari.

Maswiswi told Zimpapers Sport that winning the Chibuku Super Cup will be a consolation after missing out on the league title.

Ngezi Platinum Stars face Dynamos in the Chibuku Super Cup final at the end of the month in a repeat of last year’s final.

Dynamos won the final 2-0 at the Baobab and Ngezi Platinum Stars now hope to turn the tables and win at DeMbare’s home stadium.

“It would have been good to win the title two years in a row but a top three finish is something that we can equally be proud of.

“Our eyes are now on the Chibuku final and, yes, it is some sort of consolation for us. If we can get some silverware this season, it will be quite some consolation for us,” said Maswiswi.