CAPS United left-back Ronald Pfumbidzai could be the second Zimbabwean player to play in the Swedish Premier Soccer League following reports that an unnamed club in that country wants to have a look at him ahead of the start of the league programme.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
Former Dynamos midfielder Archieford Gutu is the only Zimbabwean who is playing in the Swedish league. Gutu is on the books of Swedish top-flight side Kalmar FF, but spent the whole season in the last campaign on loan at IFK Värnamo.
And Pfumbidzai, who has just returned from another trial stint with Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa, is expected to go for further trials in Sweden.
Ralph Nkomo, a Zimbabwean football manager, said yesterday the 21-year-old had attracted interest in Sweden and could be going there any time from now. The South Africa-based football agent, however, said he was not at liberty to disclose the name of the club at this stage.
He said he would soon be engaging Caps president Twine Phiri to decide on the way forward and stressed that while the club would decide on the next move, the interests of the player will always come first.
“Ronald did very well during his trials at Kaizer Chiefs. They were very impressed, but unfortunately they were not looking for a left-back at that moment. We are still discussing a possible contract in future since the transfer window here has already closed.
“But there is another club in Sweden which wants to look at the player. I am not in a position to disclose the club at this stage, but I would need to engage the Caps president first. Caps have the final say, but what is important is the player’s interests,” said Nkomo.
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The Swedish league runs concurrently with the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League which is expected to kick off early next month. Pfumbidzai was on a 10-day trial with Kaizer Chiefs, but the SA mid-season transfer window closed last Friday with no deal for the Caps United full-back.
Kaizer Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung said: “The player — Ronald Pfumbidzai — has been on trials with us, but there was nothing that came out of it because we are not looking for a player in that position at the moment.”
Meanwhile, Caps United coach Mark Harrison is now expected to arrive in the country from South Africa this evening.
Caps United public relations manager Joyce Kapota said the delay by the Briton, who had gone back to South Africa where he had been coaching Black Leopards, was due to logistics associated with relocating from one country to another.
He had been expected in the country on Tuesday, but Kapota said he was now due in Harare today in the evening.
“The coach is now expected tomorrow (today) in the evening,” said Kapota.
“Remember he is coming with his family so we understand he had to go through so many processes. But we are now expecting him tomorrow in the evening. I don’t know the exact time, but he is coming on an evening flight,” said Kapota.
The 54-year-old Englishman was appointed Caps coach early last month as a replacement for Taurai Mangwiro who left the Harare giants to join ambitious side Harare City towards the end of last year.
But he had returned to South Africa where he has been processing his relocation while awaiting to obtain his work permit.
