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NewsDay

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No Mogorosi for Platinum

Sport
FC Platinum will not sign Botswana international Joel Mogorosi, at least for now, after they indicated yesterday that they will not add any more players to their Caf Champions League football squad. Platinum registered 26 players before the initial December 15 deadline, leaving four places open for further signings as they negotiated with Mogorosi’s team, […]

FC Platinum will not sign Botswana international Joel Mogorosi, at least for now, after they indicated yesterday that they will not add any more players to their Caf Champions League football squad.

Platinum registered 26 players before the initial December 15 deadline, leaving four places open for further signings as they negotiated with Mogorosi’s team, Mochudi Centre Chiefs, for a reported fee of $30 000.

Team secretary Philemon Muvengwa told NewsDay Sport yesterday: “We are not registering any more players. The Mogorosi deal is yet to be finalised, but we already have the players for the Champions League.

“Remember, we are required to register just 25 players for the Premier Soccer League with the other five being Under-20 players, but we cannot take the junior players to the Champions League.”

Platinum, who lost the league title to Dynamos on goal difference, offloaded Norman Maroto, Mernard Mupera, Bheki Ncube, Mthulisi Maphosa, Ray Sibanda and Muranganwa Nengomasha at the end of the season, giving coach Rahman Gumbo an opportunity to build his own team.

He took over last July, a team that had initially been assembled by the late Benjamin Moyo before it fell into the hands of Philani Mabhena and later Taurai Mangwiro before Gumbo’s arrival.

Gumbo has brought in the experienced pair of Gilbert Banda and Louis Matawu, raided Gunners for Ali Sadiki, Michelle Katsvairo and Qadr Amini while neighbours Shabanie Mine provided Rowen Nenzou and Simon Shoko.

They snared Allan Gahadzikwa from Motor Action, Frank Mlambo from Zambia, Welcome Ndiweni, Francis Tizayi and Hardlife Mavundi from Masvingo, Cabby Kamhapa and Thandazani Ndlovu from Chicken Inn.

Gumbo kept the core from last season: Khumbulani Banda, Charles Sibanda, Zephania and Joel Ngodzo, Benjamin Marere, Daniel Vheremu, Thabani Kamusoko, Norman Togara, Donald Ngoma, Ntokozo Tshuma and goalkeepers Tafadzwa Dube and Tsungai Mudzamiri.

Meanwhile, Luke Masomere will remain as the Shabanie Mine coach for the 2012 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season.

The club appears to have reached common ground with the coach whose contract expires today, with a new long-term deal now on offer.

Masomere, who joined the asbestos miners from Masvingo United mid-season at the end of July, is yet to commit pen to paper for a new term at Maglas Stadium.

Shabanie Mine chairman Webster Chitono yesterday expressed the club’s confidence in the coach and said they were only left with tying up some “loose ends” before their former player inks a new deal.

“We discussed the new contract and what is left now is to tie some loose ends for him (Masomere) to sign the contract. It is a better deal which we all agreed on. We really want to work with him next season so definitely he rightly fits in our plans,” said Chitono.

Masomere, who won the league championship with the now-defunct AmaZulu in 2003, confirmed he was yet to renew his contract, but was hopeful of doing so in the immediate future.

“Yes, I am yet to renew my contract and I have tabled demands before the club executive. We agreed and I am only left with signing the new deal. I have already rolled out my 2012 plan so I still want to work at Shabanie. You can talk to the club chairman or secretary for more details,” Masomere said.