PROMOTED Bulawayo Chiefs have dispelled rumours they will sell their franchise, saying that they are ready to take part in the premier soccer league next year.
BY FORTUNE MBELE
Reports suggested that they would sell their ticket to Harare City, who were demoted at the end of the season, but the club chairman James Rugwevera yesterday said: “We are not going to sell the franchise. We are going to play in the Premier Soccer League.”
Chiefs won promotion after lifting the Southern Region Division One title, and will join three other regional champions Herentals (Northern), Mutare City (Eastern) and Nichrut (Midlands), into the top-flight.
But while they celebrated their elevation to the Premiership, they are not sure of their coach Thulani Sibanda’s fate.
Sibanda does not hold the requisite Caf ‘A’ Licence to coach in the Premier Soccer League as per Zifa regulations.
He is holder of a Scottish C-Licence and a Sports Science degree from the National University of Science and Technology (Nust).
He is due to study for a Uefa-B Licence to be held at Edinburg University of Scotland in May next year.
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“We don’t know how they (Zifa) will value his qualifications. We will hear from them. We are of the idea of going into the PSL with the coaches that helped in gaining promotion. We don’t want to be recycling coaches that are in the PSL because we believe in the coaches who did well for us,” Rugwevera said.
Sibanda has won three championships in Division One, two with Chiefs and one with Quelaton, a side he also went to coach in the Premier Soccer League.
However, in the 2013, when Chiefs won the championship, their franchise was acquired by Bantu Rovers and they reverted to Division One.
Sibanda had a brief stint as assistant coach to Rahman Gumbo at Chicken Inn in the Premier Soccer League last year, but voluntarily stepped down whilst still on probation.
“We are right on track. I believe the technical team will not be bringing in a number of players as we believe in the team that took us to the Premier Soccer League, guided by the experienced players that we have,” Rugwevera said.
Some of the notable faces in the squad include former Highlanders skipper Mthulisi Maphosa, Kundishora Chakanyuka, Makhosi Ncube who all have PSL experience.
Zifa Southern Region Soccer Star of the Year Arthur Musiyiwa is also part of the squad and they have high hopes for him in the league next year.
