Vusumuzi Dube
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO Chiefs Football Club have managed to retain captain Malvin Mkolo after Highlanders showed reluctance in securing the defender’s signature.
This is the second time Mkolo sees his dream to don the black and white shirt shattered after he tried his luck back in 2015 and hit a brick wall. In 2015, Mkolo, who grew up in Victoria Falls was deemed not good enough to play for Highlanders by then Bosso coach Bongani Mafu when he tried his luck at Amahlolanyama.
Mkolo, like many other players at Chiefs was eager for a move away from the financially troubled Amakhosi Amahle with his preferred move being to Highlanders. Bosso coach Baltemar Brito was said to be a big fan of the Chiefs skipper but Amahlolanyama never made a move for the central defender. A source close to the player said despite interest from clubs that include Simba Bhora and Triangle where his former coach Thulani Sibanda is likely to be the head coach, chances are high Mkolo will stay at with Chiefs.
“The player was willing to go to Highlanders. His mind was made up that he wanted Bosso. All they needed to do was approach Bulawayo Chiefs and negotiate for the player’s clearance since he has a running contract but the player is protected by the FIFA Regulations Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) which allows a player to leave a club if they fail to pay three or four months in salaries,” said the source.
Mkolo, who joined Chiefs in 2015 from Victoria Falls lower league side Trumus is among a host of players who are desperate to leave the Ninjas ahead of the forthcoming season following financial crisis at the club, which saw footballers go for months without receiving their dues. Mkolo led the Twitter Kings to winning last year’s Chibuku Super Cup and to secure seventh position, the best ever achieved by Chiefs since their entry into the PSL in 2018. — Follow on Twitter @innocentskizoe
derick.khumalo
Online Reporter