Masomere sends shivers

18 Jan, 2015 - 00:01 0 Views

The Sunday Mail

FC PLATINUM’S powerful finish to the 2014 season coupled with a few telling additions to their squad has had them assuming the odds-on favourites to end Dynamos’ four-year-old stranglehold on the premiership crown.

Taurai Mangwiro’s Harare City have also done well in the market, beefing up the squad that reached last season’s Chibuku Super Cup final.

But just as the duo appeared to be the only realistic challengers to Dynamos, Luke Masomere has now forced his way into the equation with transfer coups that have caught the eye ahead of the 2015 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season which kicks off on March 7.

While debate on the direction the title will take at the end of the year is surely premature, the strides that How Mine have made are too great to ignore.

Masomere has given a good account of himself since taking over at the gold miners at the end of August last season, guiding the team to a respectable eighth position finish, having taken over with the club fourth from bottom with a meagre 24 points from 21 rounds of fixtures.

Under Masomere’s watch, Chikurupati won four, drew four and lost just once to eventual champions — Dynamos.

That the self-proclaimed “Doctor of Football” has managed to retain the core of the team that lost once in nine outings at the business end of the campaign and further boosted it with household names, is a sign they might be challenging for the coveted honour.

2013 Premier Soccer League Soccer Star of the year Tawanda Muparati, who struggled for form, and midfield legislator Devon Chafa have joined from Dynamos, together with goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya who comes in from cross-town rivals Highlanders in a department that already has Young Warriors’ Bernard Donovan.

With the ageless Menard Mupera, silky Timothy January and Emmanuel Mandiranga already on their books Chikurupati — on paper — now boast probably the strongest midfield in the league.

Soccer star finalists Charles Sibanda and Limited Chikafa and former Masvingo United forward Leftara Ndale are the new additions to the team’s potency that already has Kuda Musharu in its armour.

Veteran winger Benjamin Marere and Caps United skipper Tapiwa Khumbuyani are now also with the gold miners.

The miners are, however, not done as yet and are being linked with the attacking duo of Rodrick Mutuma and Simba Sithole — who are out of contract at Dynamos — as well as flying leftback Ronald Pfumbidzai and utility man Tafadzwa Mombeshora.

Masomere, however, remains modest as he builds his army, saying he never dreams of the title, which he reckons has its “owners”.

“We are not in any way thinking of the title as there are some clubs that are in a better position to fight for it.

“Clubs like FC Platinum and Harare City have very good teams and will likely join the perennial campaigners that are Dynamos and Highlanders, not How Mine. Ours is to seek a better position than we did last time. So, if we can manage to finish seventh we will be very happy,” said the self-proclaimed Doctor of Football.

He said the miners had not chased after any player, but were signing only those that have approached them in search of greener pastures.

“We have not sought for any player; they have been coming to us in search of better fortunes. I can also say we have not signed neither are we looking to sign any star player. We are only looking at average players who are eager to learn,” said Masomere.

Bulawayo is the city that gave Masomere his finest hour in football, winning his only league title with Amazulu back in 2003 and will be looking at repeating that feat with How Mine.

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