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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
AFTER finishing close on a number of times in the Premier Soccer League race, Ngezi Platinum Stars will be looking to go all the way and cross the line in the upcoming season.
The Mhondoro-based platinum miners have finished in the top four in the five seasons that they have played in the topflight league since their promotion in 2016.
They were seventh in their debut year, in which they also announced themselves by winning the Chibuku Super Cup. The Mhondoro side finished third in 2017 and they came closest to the title in 2018 when they ended the race in second place.
Then the past two seasons saw them finishing in an identical fourth place, in the 2019 and 2021-22 campaigns. Team manager Tinashe Nengomasha believes the side is motivated to pick up from where they left off last season, following a brilliant run at the back-end of the campaign.
“I think the boys are well motivated because most of the players who did the job for us last season, the core of the team, is still around and we have got players who have been with the club for a while now, who understand what the club really needs to achieve its goals.
“We also had a tremendous season and finished fourth. So I think, with that and the mixture of young players also being roped in from the development side, the blending is so good that obviously we can’t wait for the start of the new season,” said Nengomasha.
Ngezi Platinum Stars finished the last campaign strongly after recovering from the ebb and flow that saw them changing three coaches in one season.
Rodwell Dhlakama, who started off the marathon was later replaced by Benjani Mwaruwari before the Warriors legend was shown the door and succeeded by his assistant Takesure Chiragwi following a run of poor results.
The club should also have learnt from the high turnover of coaches in the last five seasons in which they had as many coaches taking turns to lead the team.
They have changed them frequently, from Klifton Kadurira to Tonderai Ndiraya, Elroy Akbay, Rodwell Dhlakama, Benjani Mwaruwari and now Chiragwi.
Ngezi Platinum Stars announced yesterday they have roped in former Dynamos player and assistant coach Philemon Mutyakureva as their new assistant coach.
Mutyakureva will work under Chiragwi, who as appointed head coach towards the end of last year after impressing the management with a top four finish as interim coach.
“Ngezi Platinum Stars is proud to announce the appointment of Philemon Mutyakureva as first team assistant coach. We welcome coach Philemon to Madamburo,” said the club in a statement.
Mutyakureva joined the Mhondoro side from BN Academy, where he had worked as head coach for the Under-20 side from 2018. Previously he had served as Callisto Pasuwa’s understudy at Dynamos for three years between 2012 and 2014 and winning two titles during one of the most successful periods in the club’s history.
They also have a new goalkeepers coach Claudius Gunduza, who recently replaced veteran Cosmas “Tsano” Zulu.
The Ngezi Platinum Stars side resumed their pre-season training this week after the players had been given a short break upon returning from a retreat camp in Victoria Falls.
Nengomasha believes the technical team has done a magnificent job in managing the fitness levels of the players.
“So far so good,” he said.
“The technical team have done a splendid job in building the fitness of the players. There were no injuries because during pre-season players come back (in bad condition) and have gained weight after enjoying the festive holidays with their families.
“But the technical team have done a tremendous job in ensuring that the team is well serviced in terms of the physical fitness as well as the technical awareness and the psychological mindset of the players.”
They will test their strength this afternoon in two sparring matches with PSL newcomers Sheasham at Gweru Sports Club.
Ngezi Platinum Stars will also take the opportunity to test new combinations. They have made new additions to their squad by roping in players such as Malvin Gaki from Chicken Inn, Claude Mapoka from Green Fuel and Gareth Madhake who was voted Player of the Year at Black Rhinos last season.
They have released Denver Mukamba, Last Jesi, Anelka Chivandire, Mandlenkosi Mlilo, Issa Ali and Ghanaian Derrick Bonna.
The club boasts of good quality in the likes of Polite Moyo, Carlos Mavhurume, Kudzai Chigwida, Ariel Makopa, Tapiwa Sibanda, Qadr Amini, Malvin Kwanjo, Bruno Mtigo, Wayne Makuva, Marvelous Mukumba and goalkeeper Nelson Chadya who has now clocked seven years with the club.
Nengmasha said the pre-season has been key for the integration of the players.
“It’s very important because remember we have new players coming in. So you need to make sure that they understand each other in terms of the chemistry around the team.
“So I think the new faces are slowly adjusting to the requirements of Ngezi Platinum Stars and also the requirements of head coach Takesure Chiragwi,” he said.
Online Reporter