HIGHLANDERS coach Kelvin Kaindu has warned Brighton “MaNinja” Ncube against getting carried away and losing focus with the striker having hit top form in the first five matches of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer league season to propel Bosso to the top of the table.
The Bulawayo giants have a tough trip to Ngezi where they face champions Ngezi Platinum Stars in their next league assignment tomorrow.
Ncube, rejected by city neighbours Chicken Inn after scoring one goal for the Gamecocks last year, caught the attention of Kaindu and was roped into the Highlanders’ ranks. He has banged in three goals in the first five matches.
MaNinja was named man-of-the-match in the Bulawayo giants’ 3-0 routing of Chegutu Pirates at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.
Kaindu says he has instilled confidence to the player, but prays that he remains focused.
“What I did the first time I saw him was to give him confidence and belief in his abilities that he has and to identify the weaknesses and from there I have seen what he is capable of doing,”Kaindu said. “We don’t want him to lose focus. He has started well. He has scored three goals so far. He could have scored even more. We are still working on him. We have got individual training sessions that we are having with him. It is still work in progress but we think he can do better.”
MaNinja is at par with his teammate Lynoth Chikuhwa, leading the pack in the PSL’s scorers’ chart together with Bulawayo Chiefs’ Never Rauzhi and Juan Mutudza of FC Platinum.
Midfielder Melikhaya Ncube has two goals as Bosso rule the roost on the log standings with 13 points having scored nine goals which is an improvement compared to the same stage last season.
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Kaindu wants his team to stay in contention for the title.
“We don’t want to be carried away by the results we have seen. We said at the beginning that we are in the building process. It's just that in the process we have seen a lot of positives. We don’t want to shift our focus. We want to take each game as it comes and hopefully, we stay with the teams that are contending and stay with the pack that is on top,” Kaindu said.
Second-placed FC Platinum face Arenel Movers at Luveve Stadium on Sunday and the new boys have proved a hard nut to crack in the City of Kings and Queens, where they have held Ngezi Platinum and Chicken Inn to goalless draws.
Third-placed Simba Bhora host Dynamos at Wadzanai on Sunday while Bulawayo Chiefs, on the fourth spot, are away to Bikita Minerals at Sakubva Stadium tomorrow.
