The Sunday News
Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Castle Lager Soccer Star of the Year finalists Nkosana Siwela and Mthulisi Maphosa are vying for the two remaining slots at Bulawayo City. Attacking midfielder Siwela, a class of 2011 in the domestic league while at Hwange and Maphosa, a soccer star of the year finalist in 2012 after a fine season with Highlanders, have been trying their luck at the Philani “Beefy” Ncube-coached side since the club started pre-season preparations last month.
Ncube confirmed that Siwela will know of his fate after yesterday’s friendly match against Harare City at Luveve Stadium.
“Nkosana Siwela has been there since we started our season’s preparations, chances of him being signed are 50-50, we are still looking at him. We have two slots remaining for senior players,’’ said Ncube.
Siwela is out of contract at Hwange while Maphosa also had his deal run out with Bosso at the end of 2015. City recently made changes to their executive with former Highlanders striker Zenzo Moyo brought in as vice-chairman to Jerry Sibanda. A former Bosso secretary-general Horace Ndubiwa has landed a similar position he once held at Highlanders at the newly promoted Castle Lager Premier Soccer League side.
Legendary ex-Highlanders junior coach Ali “Baba” Dube has been drafted into the development structures at Amakhosi where he will work with former Bosso defenders Innocent Mapuranga and Bruce Tshuma who have been retired to work on identifying talent on a fulltime basis. Another former Highlanders mentor Barry Daka has been roped in by City as an advisor on women and juniors as the club looks to balance gender by introducing a female team.
Meanwhile, Proud Zireni has returned to training at City with Ncube happy to have the player as part of his plans for this season. It was reported last month that the former Young Warriors defender could have cost himself a move from Bulawayo Chiefs to City due to injuries sustained when he was hit by a car while allegedly drunk. However, it appears the injuries were not career threatening and the versatile player, signed on loan from Chiefs is sure bet for a slot at Amakhosi.
