Zireni’s career takes knock

Mehuli Sibanda Senior Sports Reporter
INJURIES suffered when he was hit by a car while allegedly under the influence of alcohol might have cost Proud Zireni a move to recently promoted Castle Lager Premier Soccer League side Bulawayo City. Sjankala, as Zireni is known in local soccer circles, is said to have been struck by a car last Sunday as he walked to his home in North End suburb. He isunderstood to have suffered injuries to his forehead and knee.

Bulawayo City coach Philani “Beefy” Ncube said he last saw the defender last Saturday when the team held a workout at a gym in the city centre. Ncube, who spoke highly of Zireni at the end of last year when he made clear his intentions to sign him, said he has not heard anything from the player who did not pitch up for training the whole week. Zireni was on the verge of signing for City on a one-year loan deal from local club Bulawayo Chiefs.

However, Ncube made it clear last Wednesday that if indeed the talented defender was injured while drunk a day before their Monday training session, then he had no choice but to drop the idea of taking him on board.

“He (Zireni) has not been to training the whole week. I last saw him at the gym on Saturday. I also heard from people that he was hit by a car while he was walking home drunk. He has not bothered to call me and tell me what happened. If it is true that happened, then I cannot soldier on with someone like that,’’ said Ncube.

The 2008 Coach of the Year spoke highly of the talented defender when he met him at a city centre gym at the end of last month as he believed he was currently the best right back in the country.

He pleaded with the media not to focus on the player’s off field behaviour, but on what he does on the field of play. Ncube was even convinced that the player was going to make it to the Soccer Stars of the Year final 11 at the end of the 2016 season.

A naturally gifted player, Zireni a former Zimbabwe Under-17 and Under-20 player has over the years turned out for Railstars, Quelaton, Black Mambas, Bantu Rovers a well as Bulawayo Chiefs. His career, however, has been blighted by his shenanigans off the field which have seen him being on the wrong side of the law on numerous occasions. Numerous efforts to get hold of the player could not yield any results over the alleged accident.