After six months on the sidelines, former Dynamos and Mwana African winger Benjamin Marere is ready for a fresh start at FC Platinum after patching up his difference with the platinum miners.
Marere, whose former club, Highfield, attempted to engineer a move for him to Mochudi Centre Chiefs in Botswana, will be reregistered, together with Botswana international Joel Mogorosi when the second transfer window opens on July 1.
The former Warriors winger was one of 26 players registered for Platinums debut Caf Champions League, but failed to make the 18-member squad that faced Green Mamba of Swaziland and El Merreikh of Sudan in the first two rounds.
Having arrived at Platinum on loan from the then Highfield United, now Twalumba, the Harare team sought his return as they were prepared to refund the Zvishavane side $5 000, which was the loan fee for a season.
At that time, Chiefs wanted the player in a $10 000 or player plus cash swop deal, but Mareres move back to Highfield flopped.
He then retraced his steps, sought assistance from the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe, who then assigned its secretary-general to Paul Gundani to seek audience with the Platinum management and more crucially, the technical team.
The technical team told him he was still in their plans and has been training with them since. We will register him when the window period opens in July. He is our player and he is training with the club at the moment, club spokesman Phil Muvengwa said.
Marere rose to fame under Willard Khumalo at Mwana Africa, where they played in the Caf Confederation Cup alongside veteran former Highlanders utility player Chipo Tsodzo.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
He then moved to Dynamos and along with Washington Arubi and Murape Murape, signed for Highfield United at the beginning of 2011. The three were then loaned out to clubs of their choice with Marere going to Platinum and the other two returning to Dynamos.
Platinum came close to winning the league title in their debut season last year, but were pipped to the top accolade by Dynamos on goal difference. They lost Mthulisi Maphosa during the season due to off-the-field disciplinary issues that weakened their midfield department.
At the end of last season, veteran midfielder Mernard Mupera returned to Black Rhinos after his loan deal expired while striker-of-the-moment Nelson Mazivisa has been loaned out to neighbours Shabanie Mine. He spent last season at Kiglon.
Mazivisa has been on fire this season, scoring seven goals in nine matches, which is half of what another former Platinum player Rodreck Mutuma now at Dynamos scored last year on his way to winning the Golden Boot award.
