Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
EASYCALL Cup winning coach Amini Soma-Phiri yesterday made startling revelations that Highlanders were sitting on a time bomb and risk losing the bulk of the players that helped them lift the top eight tournament.
Soma-Phiri said most players’ contracts are expiring on December 31 and the Bosso executive has not opened any talks with them, yet the club is making frantic efforts to hire a foreign coach.
“Highlanders is sitting on a time bomb. I told them before the Hwange game that there were 40 days left and asked what they’re doing about players whose contracts are running out and I was never given an answer. Valentine Ndaba can be grabbed by anyone now because his contract is running out,” said Soma-Phiri.
Besides Ndaba, goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda, his deputy Njabulo Nyoni, defenders Felix Chindungwe, Erick Mudzingwa, Webster Chingodza and Mthulisi Maphosa are some of the players whose marriage with a resurgent Highlanders ends on December 31.
Ndaba has been a revelation since the arrival of Soma-Phiri, Cosmas “Tsano” Zulu and Melusi “Mabaleka” Sibanda.
“The executive has spoken to none of these players whose contracts are running out. I don’t know, maybe umdala (Zulu) uyakwazi; maybe sebekhulume labo but Highlanders is sitting on a time bomb. Those boys are being owed and I don’t know how they’re going to do it for them to get their monies and talk about how the new contracts will be honoured.”
He also urged the Bosso hierarchy to buy the on loan Bantu Rovers’ trio of Obidiah Tarumbwa, Nqobizitha Masuku and Teenage Hadebe.
“I was of the opinion that since we’ve a benefactor and need these three players, instead of taking someone from outside the country, we can talk to Bantu Rovers and buy them. There is gold in Masuku; there is gold in Hadebe; there’s gold in Tarumbwa. Take those boys and be done with Bantu Rovers. There’s no way Teenage and Nqobizitha can’t be sold for a huge profit because those boys are going far, especially Teenage and Nqoe.
“Why waste resources by looking for someone who will want money for rent, a car and petrol instead of using it to negotiate contracts with players and buying the Bantu Rovers players,” Soma-Phiri said.
He said none of the players, whose contracts are ending on December 31, must be allowed to leave Highlanders.
“I don’t think there’s any player from the present squad that should be offloaded. Yes, one or two can be let go, but the majority must stay, especially those that played in the last nine games,” he said.