We’re at the top but . . .Brito not carried away, still cautious

WITH Highlanders FC at the top of the Castle Lager Premiership table at this stage of the season, there are only two possible outcomes for the Bosso faithfuls, heartbreak or jubilation.

According to Highlanders coach Baltemar Brito, the target set for him by his employers at the beginning of the season was to finish inside the top five. He has not been shy to speak on how a poor pre-season and failure to recruit players on his transfer wish list have seen him fail to build a more formidable side.

Call it a miracle or whatever, after Match Day 19, Bosso lead the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table with 41 points. They are unbeaten this season and enjoy a five-point lead over second-placed Ngezi Platinum.

Brito has had to work with what is there and the results have been more than impressive, the debate over the type of play aside. Another thing, he has fans believing and following in large numbers.

As things stand, there is every reason for the Bosso family to be confident of winning the title they last won in 2006. The excitement that has been created by this Highlanders team has seen more talk around Bosso lifting the trophy.

Brito feels, perhaps, the pressure from outside might be too much.

“This was a team built to finish in the top five but now people want the team to win the league. If the people put that pressure on our boys it’s not fair at times. We are here to try and improve from last season.

“We are at the top but we can still finish below the fifth position that the board demands from us. So we are collecting points. Even on Sunday if we had drawn even you guys would be sad and some would complain about the coach,” said Brito soon after his side beat Black Rhinos 1-0 on Sunday at Barbourfields Stadium.

The only time Highlanders came close to assembling a competitive side since winning the 2006 championship was during the Kelvin Kaindu era when they twice lost the title to archrivals Dynamos on goal difference.

Most of the players who formed the trailblazing 2006 Highlanders squad sought greener pastures at the end of that season, with eccentric goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini moving to South Africa and the trio of striker Obidiah Tarumbwa, midfielder Honour Gombami and utility player Vusa Nyoni moving to Belgium while Ralph Matema was snapped up by South African giants Orlando Pirates.

In 2012, Bosso went on a 23-game unbeaten run under Kaindu but could still not win the league title despite contributing four players to that year’s 11 Soccer Stars.

— @innocentskizoe