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THE THREE AMIGOS . . . Goalkeeper Donovan Bernard (left) joins his Warriors teammates Tatenda Mukuruva (right) and Blessing Moyo when they were all part of the national team that featured at the 2017 Nations Cup finals in Gabon

Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
WARRIORS fringe goalkeeper Donovan Bernard is confident he will revive his career this season after securing a two-year contract with ambitious Premiership side Ngezi Platinum.

The former Zimbabwe Under-20 goalminder, together with Takabva Mawaya, deputised Tatenda Mukuruva at the Africa Cup of Nations finals last year in Gabon, but appeared to have lost his way at How Mine, where he suffered in the shadow of veteran Munyaradzi Diya.

The Aces Youth Soccer Academy graduate hopes the move to Mhondoro will give his career fresh impetus.

He becomes the latest player to join the Mhondoro side and joins a goalkeeping department which has also been boosted by the arrival Tatenda Munditi from Harare City.

The duo come into the Ngezi dressing room following the departure goalkeepers Mawaya and third-choice Tinashe Matore and will have to battle for the first team slot with Nelson Chadya, who handled a slightly higher number of games than the experienced Mawaya last season.

“I am satisfied with my move to Ngezi. I believe it is the best move for me and I am looking forward to revive my career there.

“I know it is not going to be easy, but I will do everything to reclaim the first team jersey,” said Bernard.

So far, Ngezi Platinum coach Tonderai Ndiraya, has acquired the services of four players with negotiations to bring in more still going on.

The club have already snapped midfielder Tichaona Chipunza following the expiry of his contract at Dynamos.

They have also signed defender Frank Makarati from How Mine.

Makarati is a highly-rated centre back with good pace and is also good in the air.

Interestingly, all the players that have been recruited by the club are coming in as free agents.

But club secretary-general Cloete Mujoma says it’s not their policy to only sign free agents.

“It is just coincidence. We are guided by the need of the club and the coach’s choices. If a player is out of contract then that’s it. But some of the players we are pursuing are still contracted and that is why our recruitment process is still ongoing.

“We have secured Chipunza. He was a free agent and we negotiated something and got him.

“Tatenda was also a free agent and we also got Donovan and Frank Makarati.

“We are still beefing up our squad as rightly said by our president last year that we are going to raid the market.

“We should be done by next week and we are maintaining a squad of 30 players,” said Mujoma.

The miners are believed to be still looking at getting a right back, a direct replacement for Jaure, as well as another defender and a striker.

Names of players such as Dennis Dauda, Elisha Muroiwa and Praise Tonha are being rumoured with a possible move to Mhondoro.

Ngezi players reported for duty yesterday with all of them undergoing medicals, but proper training will only begin next Monday after all other aspects of pre-season preparations have been satisfied.

However, players such as Washington Pakamisa, David Goriyati, goalkeeper Tinashe Matore, Edgar Tapera, Knowledge Machona and Davidson Tavari will not be part of this year’s squad after they were released by the club.

Former skipper Partson Jaure has joined Zambian Premiership side Buildcon while midfielder Dominic Mukandi has re-joined CAPS United.