Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
FRINGE Warriors’ right-back McClive Phiri has signed a performance based two-year deal with South African Premiership side Bidvest Wits where he has been training for four weeks.
Phiri (26), joins a legion of Zimbabwean footballers in the “Great Trek” to the lucrative South African league.
At Wits, he will team up with Zimbabwean attacking midfielder Terrence Dzukamanja, a player he shared the dressing room with when they were both at Ngezi Platinum Stars in 2017.
The South African Premiership side had been monitoring Phiri since last season and dispatched scouts in November last year to watch the player putting up a flawless performance in the Chibuku Super Cup final against Ngezi Platinum Stars which Bosso won 1-0.
Dalu Bhebhe, Phiri’s business manager and personal coach, who facilitated the player’s trial stint after sending scientific data to Wits, confirmed the deal, adding that the former Tsholotsho and Ngezi player signed “a good deal”.
“McClive has been at Wits for about four weeks and the deal was kept under wraps so that the player concentrates on his job. He has signed a performance based contract,” said Bhebhe.
“It’s a good deal for McClive and if he performs the way that he was doing while at Highlanders as well as how he has expressed himself at Wits, he can only get better and have a successful stint,” he said.
Phiri, who has four national team caps earned from Zimbabwe’s World Cup qualifiers against Somalia in Djibouti and Harare as well as two legs of the Chan final qualifier against Lesotho, was a consistent performer for Bosso in his two years at the club.
His ability to overlap and deliver good crosses into the box added to his team’s attacking options, making him one of the best right-backs in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.
Bhebhe revealed that local clubs had also been chasing after Phiri.
Rumours linked Phiri with moves to either Chicken Inn or Caps United.
“He got a bit emotional when he was given a contract by Wits because he faced lots of challenges last year. After that injury to his hand, McClive was a little down and we had to work on his psychology as we prepared him to get his career back during and after the injury lay-off. He is so excited, his family is excited that he has managed to get a break into the South African league against all odds. McClive is a true example of how hard work and discipline, on and off the field pays off. If he maintains the same discipline, he’ll achieve a lot,” said Bhebhe.
Phiri suffered a nasty injury last season that ruled him out of action for 12 weeks.
He fractured his right humerus, the bone between the elbow and shoulder, in the goalless draw against Herentals at Barbourfields Stadium on May 19.
This was after he crashed against the pole after being pushed by Herentals midfielder Tinotenda Benza and was taken straight to hospital. — @ZililoR
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