adminFrom Paul Mundandi in Zvishavane
SHABANIE Mine coach, John Phiri is adamant that his side will not be relegated this season, despite losing 22 senior players in the off-season.
“I want the people who are saying that to stop dreaming and they must sleep for a week and wake up when their brains are well to face reality,” he said.
“If I tell my players that we are going to be relegated they will say I am going mad. Those people who are saying that are not God and if they are God then well we might be relegated.
“I also want the people to know that I am going to work hard and achieve just the way Callisto (Pasuwa) did. I am happy for him. He has worked so hard and achieved so many things and has proved his critics wrong. I am also going to do the same although I am labelled a ‘local’ coach by some sections of the media. I am a coach not a local coach.”
Phiri has virtually assembled a new team which lost the services of 22 senior players in the off-season. Shabanie mine won the BancABC Sup8r Cup with Luke Masomere last season and Phiri has a big task to emulate the self-proclaimed Doctor of Football who is now with Buffaloes. Masomere took with him Frankson Bushire, Erea Phiri and Tafadzwa Mombeshora.
Other players Blessed Mbavarira and Roy Mazingi left for Chapungu with Caleb Masocha and Peter Muzondo packing their bags to Kariba while Valentine Ndaba joined Highlanders with his friend Fungai Chirinda signing for How Mine.
As if it that was not enough another star player Pervington Zimunya joined Caps United.
The miners however managed to lure a number of Monomotapa players and others who failed to make the grade at some Premiership teams.
“We are playing our first game on Sunday and after beating Caps United we have the confidence. Triangle are a tricky side but as Shabanie we are prepared and waiting for our first match and my word to the world is since I started coaching I have never been relegated and that is not part of our vocabulary,” said the youthful coach.
His counterpart at Triangle, Biggie Zuze said the game against Shabanie looks tricky.
“I will only get the direction of Triangle on Sunday and my team is well balanced with a mixture of youngsters and experienced players. I am looking forward to the game and I am happy with the warm welcome I got here as the people here are passionate about Triangle. I am wishing our opponents Shabanie all the best on Sunday,” said Zuze.
Triangle, like Shabanie also benefited from Monomotapa’s relegation last season as they signed Praise Tonha, Charles Rukwanhi and Jimmy Tigere. The team has Tineyi Chitora
from ZPC Kariba and former Mambas goalkeeper Ronald Mudimu. Enterprising youngster Dzingayi Chirambamuriwo who completed his ‘O’ Levels last year is expected to take the Premiership by storm for Triangle.
While Shabanie Mine are confident they would not be relegated, another Zvishavane-based side FC Platinum have intentions of winning the league title.
They begin that quest with a clash against newly-promoted Chiredzi United on Sunday.
The platinum miners were promoted into the elite league in 2011. Although they are well resourced they have not won the league title or a major cup.
“Every team in the league is targeting the championship and we are also targeting it. We prepared well during the off-season and mentally, physically, physiologically and technically we are very much prepared.
“Everything is well at the institution and we are not complaining. We have already prepared for the Chiredzi game and the better team of the day is going to win but as FC Platinum we want to maintain our consistency,” said Masimba Dinyero, the assistant coach.
FC Platinum was the first team to hand Chiredzi United a heavy defeat when they beat Moses Chunga coached side 4-0 at home recently. Donald Ngoma who is having trials in Europe was on target as he scored a brace with other goals coming from Wisdom Mutasa and Njabulo Ncube.
It could not be established if Ncube would be part of the team as he was reported to be pushing for a move back to his former team Highlanders.
He did not train with the team on Tuesday but yesterday he was back in Zvishavane. Ncube has a one-year contract with the miners and received $8,000 as signing-on fees.
He has won the hearts of many at FC Platinum.
Chredzi’s Moses Chunga said; “We have been training since January and I have played a couple of friendlies, something that has helped me to come up with best combinations. We are now more than ready for the season and Chiredzi will be the team to beat this season regardless of the fact that we are in our maiden year in the top flight league.”
Online Reporter