The Sunday News
Fungai Muderere Sports Reporter
TANZANIA football outfit Azam are assessing Highlanders utility player Bruce Kangwa amid revelations that the club is appraising him at different positions in game situations.
Kangwa left the country last Tuesday for a one week trial stint at Azam, one of the biggest clubs in the Central African country.
“I started training with the club on Wednesday morning before we went on to play a friendly match in the afternoon. In the friendly match I played on the left wing as an attacking midfielder. On Thursday, in a training session, the coaches deployed me to the left back position,” said Kangwa speaking from Tanzania.
“I’m confident that I will clinch a deal. It’s all looking promising,” added the Tshabalala-bred player.
Kangwa (28) is one of the country’s rare breeds that possess the ability to play in numerous positions, an attribute that has proved to be his strength on the local football scene.
During his days at now defunct Railstars, Kangwa was employed as a striker but found himself playing left back at Bosso under Kelvin Kaindu and later under Bongani Mafu.
This season, new Bosso gaffer Erol Akbay, redeployed the Warriors player back into attack where he has managed to score seven goals in 14 matches for the Bulawayo giants.
His manager George Deda said chances of seeing the player coming back from Tanzania were between slim and none as he was set to clinch a deal.
He said Kangwa might have played his last game for Highlanders against Caps United last Sunday where his fine form saw him score the solitary goal of the match.
“All I can say is Highlanders should come up with a contingency plan. Bosso should be hunting for his replacement. Chances are slim that Kangwa will come back home. If he is happy and the club (Azam) is happy there is no way that he will come back after signing for Azam FC,” said Deda. Just like the European and the South African Absa Premiership, the Tanzania football league is set to start in the first week of August.
“Indications coming from him (Kangwa), it’s so far so good. He is happy and he has always rest assured me that he wants to grab this opportunity. Remember it is his first invitation from a foreign club to attend trials. In terms of football this might be his last pay cheque.
“As his manager, I think this is the best opportunity for him to get decent property for himself and his family because people tend to look at what football brought to a particular player,” said Deda.
Kangwa recently grabbed Player of the Month awards for April, May and June and Bosso head coach Akbay has already admitted that his departure could be a big blow to the club.
“I wouldn’t want to lose him because he is a very influential player in our team. However, I wish him well. It’s an opportunity for him. I’m happy for him that he has finally attracted foreign club’s interest for the first time in his career. He is one of the best players I have ever met,” said Akbay.
Azam are hoping Kangwa will make a huge impact at the club like what his fellow countrymen Donald Ngoma and Thabani Kamusoko have done at rivals Young African Sports Club better known as Yanga.
- @fungiemuderere
