The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
FILABUSI United are looking to make a huge impression in their maiden dance in the Zifa Central Region Division One League, with the club chairman declaring that they are gunning for the title.
The Matabeleland South Filabusi-based team will be playing Division One football for the first time this season after they finished second behind The Venue in the Zifa Matabeleland South Division Two League Pool A.
Filabusi United
Filabusi United have been busy preparing for life in Division One and last Saturday they defeated Premier Soccer League new boys TelOne 1-0 at Phelandaba Stadium in Gwanda, a result which excited the team’s leadership, with chairman Nqobizitha Dube proclaiming that they are aiming to get promoted into the PSL in their very first season.
“We are busy assembling a squad that will compete competitively in Division One. We are actually gunning for the championship. We played a friendly against TelOne and beat them 1-0, because of that we feel we can compete,’’ Dube said.
Filabusi United chairman Nqobizitha Dube
Yesterday, Filabusi United afforded local boys an opportunity to be part of the team when they held trials in Avoca. According to Dube, they have kept most of the players they had last season and are looking to bolster their squad with new signings. Because of their close links with Zifa Southern Region Division One side, Talen Vision, they had four players loaned to them for the second half of last season.
“From the team we had, last year we retained 70 percent of the youngsters, we have an MOU with Talen Vision, we have four players on loan from Talen Vision. We have engaged two players from Bindura and we have set aside funding to sign two or three experienced players who will lead the youngsters,’’ he said.
In an effort to ensure that the team is ready when the season starts next month, friendly matches are being lined up with Central Region Division One teams. Former Zifa Bulawayo Junior League chairman, Mkhululi Mthunzi has been engaged as Filabusi United chief executive officer.
“We are lining up challenging friendly matches against teams that we will be competing against, we haven’t confirmed the teams as yet, the CEO is working on that.”
In terms of their home ground, Filabusi United are keen to make use of Mthwakazi Stadium situated at Filabusi Centre. They are working on fencing it off while the Insiza Rural District Council has built changing rooms. Dube indicated that they are hoping to have the ground ready when the Zifa grounds inspection team visits Filabusi. In the event of Mthwakazi not being homologated by Zifa, Filabusi United would be forced to play their home matches at Phelandaba.
“We are hoping to use Mthwakazi Stadium, we have bought a fence to fence off the ground, we are hoping that the Zifa inspectors, by the time they come there we would have finalised the issue of our ground. We are working closely with the Insiza Rural District Council. We want to bring the team closer to the people by playing at home. In the worst case scenario, we will play our home matches in Gwanda,’’ Dube said.
Filabusi United were formed in 2012 as a social soccer team playing the Insiza Football Association League. From 2013, they have been part of the Matabeleland South Division Two League until they earned promotion last season.
United Kingdom-based Kelvin Ngwenya is the club president with the other founder members being Dube, Lameck Ndlovu, Stanley Dube and Thulisani Tshili while Talen Vision have a stake in Filabusi United.
Saul Ndlovu is the head coach with his assistant being Wonder Mpofu, formerly with Bantu Rovers while the captain is central defender David Paulos. The club, with offices in Bulawayo and Filabusi is already active on social media with their Twitter account generating a lot of interest.
It is yet to be seen if the boys from Filabusi will be able to make a massive impression in the Zifa Central Division One League and bring premiership football to Filabusi.
@Mdawini_29
