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Tafadzwa Dube eyes glory with Sunshine City Boys

Sport
HARARE City’s new goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube says he is enjoying his football with the Sunshine City Boys since his big move from Caps United

HARARE City’s new goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube says he is enjoying his football with the Sunshine City Boys since his big move from Caps United describing the club as “a second home”, but reveals he faces a huge challenge ahead of the start of the 2015 Premier Soccer League campaign.

TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Dube, who kept goal for Caps United last term, is one of a dozen of players signed by Taurai Mangwiro as he prepares for a new challenge with the new club. The Harare City goalminder, one of the most experienced keepers in the country, says he expects a very tough challenge to snatch the number one position from Maxwell Nyamupangedengu.

“Obviously as a player when you join a new team you want to get yourself to play regularly. This is my ambition. I want to play regularly. I am working very hard right now to get into the starting team. It’s not a stroll in the park especially when you have an established goalkeeper like Maxwell.

“He is one of the best goalkeepers we have and it will be a huge challenge to break into the number one position. I have to go the extra mile because in football you have to earn your place in the team. It brings competition in the team and that is healthy for any team. When I start to play regularly, then I set goals for myself. I take it step by step,” Dube told NewsDay Sport after yesterday morning’s training session.

The veteran goalkeeper, 30, brings in a wealth of experience to the Sunshine City dressing room having played for several clubs including Lancashire Steel, Masvingo, Dynamos, FC Platinum and most recently Caps United.

The goalkeeper also took time to reflect on the past season at Caps United.

“At Caps United we were subjected to very tough conditions. We were always thinking of our families instead of concentrating on playing football. But we still managed to play our normal game under those very difficult conditions and went on to finish third.

“We could have managed maybe to finish in a better position if we had been playing under better conditions. Things were very tough then, but now this is a new environment and I am enjoying my football. It is like a home away from home. All we are doing is to concentrate on playing our football. That helps really,” adds Dube.

But can his experience put him in good stead to claim the first-choice goalkeeping position?

Dube aptly refuses to be carried away. “There is no guarantee. It just gives me an advantage. What you need in football is to keep working hard. Have the drive to achieve with the team. You have to earn your place in the team.”

Dube says he still has plenty of football left in him. He says goalkeepers the world over play for a long period before hanging up their gloves.

“At 30, I think I am still around for quite some time. Goalkeepers at this stage usually will be at their peak and think I still have about 10 more years to play. What I just need to do is to keep working hard, to keep training and playing regularly,” he said.

Dube spoke glowingly about Harare City saying they have a great squad that can compete on all fronts this season.

“We have a very good squad at Harare City which I think can compete for any trophy this season. We are a closely-knit group and we are all enjoying the training we are going through. We just need to believe we can beat anybody,” he added.

Apart from signing Dube, the Sunshine City Boys swooped on former Dynamos defender Temba Ndhlovu and former Caps United trio of midfielder Tendai Samanja, Nicholas Alifandika and Honey Chimutimunzeve.

Ex-Kaizer Chiefs defender Lincoln Zvasiya also joined the team making it one of the most expensively assembled sides in the country, apart from How Mine, who have brought in about nine experienced players.