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Mukudzei Chingwere Midlands Bureau
CHAMPIONS FC Platinum have resolved to cast their net beyond Zimbabwe’s borders as they look to bolster Premiership championship winning squad ahead of the likely gruesome African adventure next year, with strikers, two from Cameroon and one from Uganda expected in Zvishavane soon.

The miners have hit the ground running on the transfer market and have so far secured midfielders Liberty Chakoroma and Kelvin Madzongwe while Highlanders’ Rahman Kutsanzira is also understood to be on his way to the champions.

However, FC Platinum’s major problem this season was the absence of a prolific goal getter and as team they collectively managed only 40 goals from 34 matches.

It is a statistic that does not make attractive reading for a team that would also want to make an impact in Africa.

In most leagues one striker can reach the 40 goal mark at least more than half that tally that is not much for one prolific striker in the same number of matches.

With local strikers struggling in the last six seasons, FC Platinum are justified in looking beyond the borders for gunslingers.

Premiership strikers even failed to meet the target of 25 goals that the league’s title sponsors Castle had set for 2017 and which had an extra incentive in the offing as the best forward Dominic Chungwa of CAPS United could only manage 17 goals.

FC Platinum Coach, Norman Mapeza early this year bemoaned that the country no longer have tear away forwards as was the case in the past during the days of the likes of legendary Warriors skipper Peter Ndlovu, Vitalis Takawira among others.

With Dynamos, forward Christian Epoupa Ntouba who shone this season nearing a move to the South African league, the platinum miners have struggled to identify a suitable gunslinger locally to lead the attack on in the African Safari.

Pure Platinum Play have now turned their sights to the continent with three players from Uganda and Cameroon already processing their papers to come for assessment in the Midlands.

“We are in the process of assembling a team that will compete in the African safari and the technical department has noted that they need some reinforcements especially in attack.

“At the moment we have realised that there are no strikers playing locally who can come as an upgrade to the ones we currently have. Of course they are many good players here but we want to look for strikers who can come with a different dimension,” she said.

“There are about three strikers we want to have a look at and at the moment we are working on bringing them to Zimbabwe, once we have finalised their papers I will be able to tell you their nationalities and names.

“It is not just having a foreign player in the team but we want someone who will add value to the team, that is why it is important for coaches to assess the players,” said Chizondo.

Earlier the miners had targeted former son, Donald Ngoma to lead their line next year but there are fears that he might not be able to give the side the biting edge following his long spell on the sidelines.

FC Platinum is no stranger to have foreigners in their dressing room after Zambian expatriates Aaron Katebe and Obrey Chirwa left an indelible mark at Mandava with their commendable exploits.