The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS Football Club coach Baltemar Brito says he did not look at Joel “Josta” Ngodzo’s past achievements in arriving at the decision to offload the midfielder.
Ngodzo, who had struggled to make it into the Highlanders starting lineup parted ways with Bosso on Wednesday, with Amahlolanyama stating that the separation was by mutual consent.
“About Joel, yes he don’t belong to our squad so we wish him all the luck in the next project, in the next step of his career, with us he was a professional player, we just released him, we don’t stay with him in our squad because we don’t care about status, we care about performance. We felt that he couldn’t fit what we request for the position that he do on the field. So the status of him, we know that he is big but we don’t care about status, we care about performance and with the people that we know that can fit the request for the positions that they are,’’ said Brito.
The Brazil born coach dismissed as misleading information claims that there were clashes between him and the 2019 Soccer Star of the Year.
“This is fake news, the problem between Joel and the coach. He was very professional when he was with us. We wish him all the luck, maybe he can go to the other side and do well because he is not a bad player. It was only a technical decision, we look to him and we felt okay you don’t have the details, you don’t have the background that we need for that position so maybe it’s better you go to other side for making go your career,’’ further stated Brito.
Asked if there were more players on the departure lounge, Brito said only vice-captain Nqobizitha Masuku could leave if he impresses in the United Arab Emirates where he is on trials.
“Departures only depend, we don’t know the Nqo (Nqobizitha Masuku) situation, he is in Dubai, we don’t know if he will stay there or will come back, so he is the only one that can depart from the club, the other ones will stay until the end of the season,’’ he said.
On the young players that have been promoted to the first team, Brito outlined that they consulted with those coaching the development sides and they were also doing their own monitoring of the up and coming talent. The coach feels that it is much better to look at talent within the club before they could focus on what is on the outside.
“Instead of going outside, our main focus is if we have quality inside, the first step is looking inside, if we don’t get what we want we go outside looking for new players but first we found players good ones that can make part of the squad we decide to bring them instead of other ones outside the club,’’ said Brito.
Highlanders this week alone promoted three youngsters, Nigel Ncube, Daniel Msendami and Mason Mushore have all been elevated to the first team. The three join 16-year old Prince Ndlovu who was elevated at the beginning of this month and has already made his debut in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League. Highlanders already had young striker Mthabisi “Mabobo” Ncube in the first team and the 19-year old on Wednesday committed his future at Amahlolanyama where he will be until 2026.
Former Bosso90 skipper Darlington Mukuli was in March was in March promoted as a direct replacement for Winston Mhango.
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