The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
FORMER Castle Lager Premier Soccer League champions, Chicken Inn believe they have the right squad to reclaim the title after making only to additions to last year’s team.
The Bulawayo side added Innocent Mucheneka, a holding midfielder formerly with Hwange and former Mutare City striking sensation, Kudakwashe Gurure to their books this season leaving the rest of the team intact.
Chicken Inn secretary Tavengwa Hara said nothing should satisfy the Gamecocks besides emerging tops and reclaiming the league championship. Muchekena was signed from Hwange while Gurure last year was with relegated Mutare City.
Chicken Inn, who kick off the 2017 season with an away fixture to Bantu Rovers, had a strong finish last year making it to the top four after a shaky period following the departure of championship winning coach, Joey Antipas.
When Rahman Gumbo took over the team struggled to find rhythm and experienced turbulent times that saw them posting inconsistent results but the former Highlanders gaffer steadied the ship to finish on position four. Hara said they were confident they would do well with the current squad and are banking on continuity.
“We have been in the top eight, we made it to the top six, we made it to the top four and we won the championship so this year the focus is on winning the championship again and getting a second dance in Africa. We cannot aim for any less because we have tasted the championship once and we have got a good squad which we believe can deliver the results,” said Hara.
He said they will also be making two additions in June when Raphael Kutinyu and Teenage Hadebe are expected to leave for Tanzania and South Africa respectively. Midfielder Kutinyu was snapped up by Singida United while central defender, Hadebe is reportedly heading to Kaizer Chiefs. Hara said they have already identified two players from their junior ranks who will fill in the gaps to be left by the two regular players.
Under-20 players, Amos Ncube and Tinashe Mthimkhulu are already part of the Chicken Inn squad and are earmarked for a more active role when Hadebe and Kutinyu exit the club. Former TP Mazembe attacking midfielder, Ali Sadiki is rumoured to be on his way to the club after falling out with the Democratic Republic of Congo side. However, Hara said they are yet to engage the player on his availability. Reports though indicate that Sadiki could have a hard time getting a clearance from the DRC side who were knocked out of the Caf Champions League by Caps United last week. The former champions are also involved in a dispute with want away defender, Lawrence Mhlanga who reportedly is intent on leaving the club despite having a running contract. He wants to join FC Platinum.
