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Fungai Muderere
FORMER Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions Chicken Inn have bemoaned a development that has kept the team guessing where they will play against CAPS United in their 2024 season opener set for tomorrow.
Following the unavailability of venues in Harare, the PSL announced yesterday afternoon that the two clubs are set to play against each other at Gweru’s Bata Stadium.
In an interview before the local football family was notified that the two teams were going to fight it out at Bata Stadium, Chicken Inn head coach Joey Antipas said the late announcement of where they were going to play Makepekepe negatively impacted their planning.
“For our purposes of planning this really affected us. We didn’t know whether we were going to play them in Gweru or Harare,” said Antipas.
The veteran coach bounced back to the Gamecocks dugout at the start of the year to take over from his long-time assistant Prince Matore who was fired together with Farai Tawarechera.
Tawarechera is now the head coach at PSL’s new boys Arenel Movers. Matore recently joined the Kwekwe United technical team.
While we have it on good authority that CAPS United was fine-tuning at Rufaro Stadium yesterday morning, asked about their chances of getting the better of Makepekepe, Antipas said it was anyone’s game.
“It’s the opening game of the season. We are from one of our last training sessions and we are almost ready and up for it. It is going to be anyone’s game as we are both coming from a pre-season period.
Both teams know nothing about each other,” said Antipas.
Meanwhile, yesterday Gamecocks unveiled their 2024 season squad, kits and partners in a ceremony that was held virtually.
“Our kits, squad and partners unveiling ceremony was held virtually for the first time. It was all in an effort to reach out to the far end of the world as we now live in a global village. We are happy to say we welcome Innbucks as one of our partners and Kelme is still a technical kit partner,” said Chicken Inn spokesperson Nkululeko Nkala.
At a time when most local football teams are feeling financial strain Gamecocks have continued to enjoy the backing of their sponsor Simbisa Brands and partners who have all stabilised their ship.
In the past years, Chicken Inn has relatively been fortunate that their backer, Simbisa Brands, and partners Bonvie Medical Aid Scheme, Black Shark and Zibuko Capital have all kept the club stable.
Online Reporter