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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
PREMIERSHIP football side Black Rhinos have reined-in on mutinous striker Francisco Zekumbawira whom they have transfer-listed.
Although the army team still have a running contract with the big striker that ends in December, his conduct, especially towards the end of last season, wasn’t consistent with the team’s disciplinary code.
His partner in deviance, goalkeeper Ashley Reyners, has since been released and is reported to have joined Manica Diamonds.
The duo absconded the team’s last three games of the 2019 season without communicating with the authorities.
Defender Andrew Thandi has been pardoned after it was agreed he had an emergency he wanted to attend in Victoria Falls where his family lives.
In any case, he had communicated his problem to coach Herbert Maruwa who survived the chop last week.
But Zekumbawira who had shown tremendous improvements to his game at Black Rhinos will have to look elsewhere this season or face the possibility of being frozen out.
Black Rhinos secretary general Edward Mutukwa, who appears determined to change the way the side has been run over the years confirmed the development.
“It is the club’s policy that as the extension of the Zimbabwe National Army, our players, whether soldiers or civilians should be focused and disciplined on and off the field. In this case, we found that goalkeeper Ashley Reyners and Francesco Zekumbawira have been always off the mark. We were left with little options but to release them,” he said.
The team, which has reaffirmed their commitment to use a venue outside Harare for their Premiership games this year have also off-loaded almost half of the squad they had last season.
Their best player Wellington Taderera, who made it on the soccer stars’ calendar, has since been signed by ambitious side Ngezi Platinum Stars while Jameson Mukombwe is now at Triangle.
Only Marvelous Mukumba, Allan Gahadzikwa, Osborne Mukuradare, Bruce Homora, Wonder Kapinda, Blessing Mwandimutsira, Farai Banda, Melvin Mekiwa, Edgar Chigiji, Leeroy Murape, Tafadzwa Jaravani and Andrew Tandi have been retained.
The team is one of the most active in the transfer market having already secured Tawanda Macheka from Dynamos as well as Clemence Zimondi from relegated Mushowani Stars.
Black Rhinos had hoped that chief striker Lot Chiwunga recovers in time for the 2020 season but he has been ruled out.
Chiwunga was injured in December 2018 in a friendly tie against Mushowani in Murehwa and has been out since.
It appears his playing career could be all but over.
Black Rhinos, who have roped in former defender Jairos Tapera as their team manager, replacing Gift “Guava” Kamuriwo, will start their pre-season preparations with trials set for Motor Action Sports Club today.
The trials will run for two weeks before the army team embark on a two-week pre-season camp in Kariba.
Online Reporter