The Sunday News
Thabani Maphosa in Johannesburg, South Africa
FORGOTTEN former Kujatana, ZPC (Hwange) and Highlanders FC striker Cleopas Dube is confident that he will rekindle the form that made him hot property in the South African National First Division in 2015/16.
Dube was the second highest scorer in the league when turning out for Witbank Aces. He was voted among the league’s top three players and earned himself a move to the Premiership.
He was snapped up by Premiership new boys Baroka FC but lasted just half a season before joining Stellenbosch University in Division One.
Dube, nicknamed Balloteli, joined Royal Eagles last month, a club that was keen on him last season after his brace with the previous campaign ended the Pietermaritzburg side’s promotion hopes.
“I am happy that I have joined Royal Eagles. I have been on their radar for a while and came close to joining them in January this year but they had far too many foreigners in their books then. I am glad my career will take off and I will be able to fight for a place and improve my game and hopefully take it from there. I still harbour dreams of playing in the Premiership and it would be a dream come true if I help the team gain promotion,” said Dube, scorer of three goals for Baroka last season.
Dube said preparations for the new season had gone well. He said the team had been to the Free State and Johannesburg to acclimatise and work on team building ahead of the campaign.
“I have settled in well. Pre-season camp and training has helped me get used to other players and Pietermaritzburg. It’s going to be all systems go for me. I want to reclaim my touch of old and score goals for the club,” said Dube from his base.
Dube said because of the benefits of playing in the Premiership in which both players and clubs enjoy better funding from the league, competition was high in the South African Division One League.
Dube was set to miss yesterday’s opening fixture between Royal Eagles and newly promoted Uthongathi. He arrived in Gauteng on Thursday afternoon to fix his work permit.
“It’s sad missing the opening fixture. I am in Gauteng to sort out my work permit I am sure in the next match it would have been sorted out for me to start playing with my new team. I look forward to meeting other Zimbabweans in the league like Tapuwa Kapini and Charlton Mashumba of Highlands Park, the Mubaiwa twins Patrick and Peter at Witbank Spurs and many more as we battle for honours,” said Dube.
Ballotelli as Bosso fans affectionately called him soon after his arrival from Matabeleland North where he turned out for ZPC Hwange whom he joined from Kujatana of Victoria Falls in 2013, Dube is expected to fill the void left by former Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs Katlego Mphela.
He could not be drawn into any comparison with the former Bafana Bafana player.
“Obviously he is a legend. I trained with him last January and learnt a lot from him. I am Cleopas and I will play to the best of my abilities,” he said.
He disclosed that he was hurt to have lost a chance to be considered for the Cosafa team.
“After blowing hot in the other season I was confident that I would impress national selectors and may be play in the Cosafa tournament, but things did not go well last term and I do not want to say much about my stay at Baroka,” said Dube who showed glimpses of his former self at Stellenbosch towards the end of last season.
