AFTER being decimated by the departure of several of their stars, Harare football giants Caps United have vowed to put together a strong squad, that will be laced with foreign talent, whose main target will be to win the league title this year.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
In a rare piece of good news for the club, player movement-wise, striker, John Zhuwawo will be staying on at the Green Machine after his proposed move to Ajax Cape Town collapsed.
Club president Farai Jere yesterday said they were working hard to strengthen the squad in preparation for the forthcoming season.
“What I can assure you is that by March, before the start of the season we will have a strong squad that can compete and win the league title,” he said.
“Our aim is to win the league title and as we strengthen the squad we won’t be limiting ourselves to local players only, but we will try to get players even from outside the country.”
Jere said they were happy that some of their players are attracting interest from other clubs.
“Our policy has always been not to block players from joining other clubs. If anything, we are actually happy for them. Right now, we have Dominic Chungwa, who joined Polokwane City and Edmore Sibanda, who has joined National First Division side Witbank Spurs. We also have Ronnie (Ronald Pfumbidzai). That is good for us as a club because players know that when they join Caps United they go places.”
- 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
The Caps president revealed that striker Zhuwawo’s deal to join Ajax Cape Town had collapsed, as the Urban Warriors’ new coach, Mushin Ertugral had opted to sign fellow Zimbabwean, Tendai Ndoro.
“His (Zhuwawo) move to Ajax, I am told, has collapsed because you remember the coach, who wanted Zhuwawo is no longer there. The new coach, Mushin opted to have Ndoro after he was released by his club,” Jere said.
Players that have left Caps are Ronald Chitiyo and Abbas Amidu, who joined Tunisian and Egyptian clubs, respectively.
Caps coach Lloyd Chitembwe has been assessing a number of foreign players, including some from Ghana and Zambia in the past season, with a view to signing them. Some of the players are expected to come for final assessment, as the club starts pre-season preparations.
Caps won their first championship in 11 years under Lloyd Chitembwe in 2016, but a punishing schedule that saw them focusing on both the Caf Champions League and the domestic league put paid to their title hopes as they went on to finish a distant fifth with FC Platinum taking honours.
The Green Machine are one of the three teams that have managed to win back-to-back league titles in the history of the local game after lifting it in 2004 and 2005.
Caps have been hit by a player exodus over the last six months, losing no less than six key players, which has cast doubts on their chances of winning the championship next season.
