PSL teams start training

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
AN aura of excitement is breathing through the country’s football industry as most topflight clubs started training on Tuesday after eight months of Covid-19 induced inactivity.

The Premiership clubs have been conducting Covid-19 tests, with those testing positive going on isolation.

Though clubs have been gagged to comment about Covid-19 results, it seems a majority of players that have been tested were negative, hence returning to training and making it possible to prepare for a tournament that will be played in a bubble format.

When Government through the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) gave Zifa greenlight to resume activity, part of the conditions for that clearance included testing of players, sanitization of training venues, buses that teams use as well as having competitions played in a bio-bubble.

The bio-bubble concept, which involves clubs camping in a safe environment with no contact with the outside world.

Each club was asked to submit 50 people – players, members of secretariat and executive for testing at the first stage and before going for the bubble after a six-week training period, they will have another test.

Some of the clubs that started training sessions on Tuesday include the country’s traditional giants Highlanders and Dynamos.

Bosso conducted their training session at Ascot Race Course, missing Harare based players who include midfielder Divine Mhindirira, fullback Collin Mujuru and winger Cleopas Kapupurika.

“Almost everyone is at training and the guys look excited to be back after a longtime. The guys from Harare are yet to join us save for goalkeeper Chris Mverechena who is already here. We expect those travelling to join us very soon,” said Bosso spokesperson Ronald Moyo.

Bosso retained most players from the 2019 squad, losing Denzel Khumalo, McClive Phiri, Ben Musaka and Munyaradzi Chitambwe at the beginning of the year. During the Covid-19 lockdown, Highlanders lost Prince Dube to Tanzania’s Azam, midfielder Brian banda (FC Platium), striker Tinashe Makanda and Mitchell Katsvairo who joined Township Rollers of Botswana.

Seasoned striker Mkhokheli Dube, Aces Youth Academy product Mujuru, former Bulawayo City’s Humphrey Ncube and young striker, Rodi Sibanda, formerly with South Africa’s Orlando Pirates, are some of the 2020 signings at Bosso.

Bulawayo Chiefs reported that all their players reported for training on Tuesday.

“Everyone is training and we’re happy that we’ve kicked off our preparations without any challenges,” said Thulani Javas Sibanda, Chiefs’ spokesperson.

Bulawayo City and Chicken Inn are yet to resume their programmes, highlighting training facilities’ availability as a challenge.

“We’re completing Covid-19 tests and we will be starting training as soon as we secure training venue,” said Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas who arrived in Bulawayo from his Harare home on Tuesday.

“We are stil looking for a venue,” said Jerry Sibanda, City’s chairman. — @ZililoR