HARARE City’s lavish spending spree is showing no signs of slowing down as yet with the capture of Nicholas Alifandika and Honey Chimutimunzeve, the latest step in the ambitious Harare City Council-owned club’s bid to win the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title this season.
HENRY MHARA SPORTS REPORTER
Club secretary Mathew Marara could not be reached to confirm the two latest additions, but a source within confided to NewsDay Sport that the two had signed and would be part of the squad that begins pre-season training this morning.
“Those two are now on City’s books. I’m not very sure about the length of their contracts but I can confirm they signed last week and are our players now,” said the source.
“We are building a very strong side like any other club who have big ambitions. We are not the only one who are strengthening our squad. Teams like How Mine have also done so well so far in the transfer market and should be another team to watch next season.
“Our objective next season is very clear: We have to win the title and we are putting the resources together to achieve that goal. We cannot go three years in the league without anything to show for it, we have to get the league title,” added the source.
Alifandika and Chimutimunzeve spent the last six months of last season at Caps United where they reinvigorated what was an ordinary season for the team to eventually finish third on the log standings, just four points behind title winners Dynamos.
The duo is the latest in a long line of big-name players to sign for City this January, who are bankrolled by Harare City Council.
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Earlier in the month, the club bought defender Themba Ndlovu from Dynamos, to add to the signings of ex-Caps United duo of Tendai Samanja and Tafadzwa Dube as well as Kaizer Chiefs defender Lincoln Zvasiya.
The ambitious side has also made a major overhaul in the technical team, bringing in the experienced Taurai Mangwiro as head coach and he will be assisted by Mike Madzivanyika and Mkhuphali Masuku — also very proficient. Besides swooping on players, City spent last week conducting medicals for their players ahead of the start of their pre-season training this morning.
The Sunshine City Boys had a difficult season last year as they struggled for fluency under the guidance of Bigboy Mawiwi who was eventually shown the door to pave way for Masimba Dinyero on an interim base.
Dinyero would go on to rescue the team from relegation, securing the club’s continued stay in the top-flight league with a 1-0 victory over Chicken Inn on the last day of the season last year.
It was in sharp contrast in fortunes for the side who had stormed the league the previous year, threatening to win the title in their debut season only to be cruelly elbowed by Dynamos on the last day of the season.
Then coached by Mawiwi, City went into the last day of the campaign top of the log and needing just a victory over Caps United to be confirmed champions, but were held to a 2-2 draw and Dynamos, who beat Black Mambas on the same day, snatched it on a goal difference.
