The Sunday News
Fungai Muderere, Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS’ Erol Akbay-led technical department is said to be in agreement on signing former Dynamos striker Roderick Mutuma with the Dutch gaffer promising to deal with the player’s alleged sometimes “wayward” behaviour amicably.
Akbay and his lieutenants that include his assistant Amini Soma- Phiri and goalkeepers coach Cosmas Zulu are also said to have reached a consensus on bringing on board former Hwange, Dynamos and Harare City bustling forward Francisco Zekumbawira.
Mutuma, who was rejected by Dynamos together with captain Stephen Alimenda, Sydney Linyama and Jacob Muzokomba, has publicly expressed his interest this year to march into the cauldron of Barbourfields Stadium donning the famous black and white strip.
Interestingly, the heavily built Zekumbawira was mid last year reported to have clinched a lucrative deal with Tanzania’s Azam FC together with ex-Bosso star Bruce Kangwa. At the moment the former Harare City and Hwange striker, who recently went for a trial stint in Qatar, is said to be training with the Sunday Chidzambwa-mentored ZPC Kariba.
“Our technical team wants to take both Mutuma and Zekumbawira on board. We know that Zekumbawira is currently at ZPC Kariba and we know they want him but we want him more. We will present Zekumbawira with a better platform to re-launch his career,” said a Bosso official who requested not to be named.
Contacted for comment Bosso secretary-general Emmett Ndlovu could neither confirm nor deny that the club had somehow developed interest in the duo.
“At the moment our technical team is in South Africa. I cannot say it’s not true that we have interest in those mentioned players because if you do happen to see one of the players joining us at a later stage you might think I’m playing games with you. We have read about it in the social media and I can neither confirm nor deny,” said Ndlovu.
The source added that while the club’s technical team wants the duo of Mutuma and Zekumbawira to form a deadly, potent and effective striking partnership at Bosso this season, the executive was divided on the hiring of the former.
“The executive is in agreement on Zekumbawira but seem divided on Mutuma because of his alleged lack of discipline but Akbay has promised to deal with that problem amicably,” said the source.
In an interview with Sunday News last week, Mutuma said he was keen to join Highlanders, giving the carnival atmosphere created by the Bosso fans especially at Barbourfields Stadium as one of the reasons for wanting to join the club.
@FungaiMuderere
