The Sunday News
Fungai Muderere, Senior Sports Reporter
AMID word that he was on his way out of the Chicken Inn camp, veteran defender Guide Goddard, has renewed his contract with Gamecocks, Sunday Sport has learnt.
Goddard, a former Zimbabwe youth international, fell down the packing order in the just ended 2018 season in the process playing fiddle to fellow centre backs Moses Jackson, Last Sithole and at times to a makeshift man maker Ben Nyaunzwi.
“Guide has renewed his contract with us. We gave him two more years after he met with our technical staff,” said Gamecocks secretary-general Tawengwa Hara in the wake of the fact that head coach Joey Antipas was pushing a refresh button and bring better quality.
An elated Goddard, fondly known as Mr G, said come 2019 he will fight for his team and to improve on his game.
“I’m glad that I offered a chance and I have committed to the club. Next season I will fight for my paymasters. I will seek to improve my game. With this kind of a pledge I can’t wait for the new season,” said the easy going defender who can also play as a holding midfielder.
A fortnight ago Goddard got Chicken Inn’s Longest Saving Player Award which had a prize of $450. With coach Antipas saying he wants to inject new blood into his squad for the coming season to give a better fight for honours, the question that might be boggling Chicken Inn fans and neutrals is, will the former champions part ways with Jackson (37) and midfield old warhorse Clemence Matawu (35)?
“Everyone knows that Moses Jackson is a workaholic and it’s very difficult to part ways with Matawu. The coaches have told us that determined players and those who have been delivering will be still part of the team,” said Hara.
Matawu, who despite his age is yet to reach “the law of diminishing returns”, recently turned down a move to free spending FC Platinum. Antipas, who also won the league title with Motor Action in 2010, said he had already drawn up his wish list with some players from the just-ended season set to be shipped out.
The coach is also on record saying he wanted a player in the mould of Highlanders combative defender cum midfielder Peter Mudhuwa. Simon “Yola” Munawa, Innocent Mucheneka, the 2018 Castle Lager Soccer Star of the Year finalist, top scorer Obriel Chirinda, goalkeeper Pride Zendera, George Majika, Joe Nyabinde and youngsters King Nasama, Nicholas Muchadeyi, Nicole Mutatiwa, Xolani Ncube, Adrian Banana are some of the players that Antipas has a soft spot for and may want to retain. Obadiah Tarumbwa and Darryl Nyandoro are some the senior players that did duty for Gamecocks in 2018.
