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Bernard Manyenyeni

Grace Chingoma Sports Reporter
HARARE City Football Club patron Bernard Manyenyeni wants the Sunshine Boys to cut down on expenditure in player recruitment.
Manyenyeni, who is the mayor of Harare, wrote on his Facebook wall that he has asked the club’s executive to cut down on funds sunk into player recruitment.

Harare City recently acquired nine new players and have set up an enlarged technical department that comprises some of the most experienced coaches to take up roles from the grassroots up to the first team led by Taurai Mangwiro.

Most of their players, though, arrived as free agents.

Manyenyeni expressed his concern over the club’s expenditure while responding to a question by a Facebook character named Makoni South.

“Makoni South accuses me of buying expensive football players while damaged roads remain unattended. Simple response – Guilty as Charged!

“More detailed response requires that I share with you my very serious reservations about this apparent dislocation of priorities. I wrote to the team’s management expressing my dismay at the misalignment.

“They are struggling to give me such simple information as player acquisition and disposal details, salary schedules and 2015 budget.

“As mayor I am also the patron of the football team. I wish them every success on the field of play and ideally such success should not be wallet-based.”

The Sunshine Boys began their off-season preparations yesterday.

Their new players Tafadzwa Dube, Nicholas Alifandika, Tendai Samanja, Lincoln Zvasiya, Honey Chimutimunzeve, Themba Ndlovu, former Chiredzi FC left back Munashe Chinembeza and two Under-20 players Tatenda Tumba and goalkeeper Tatenda Munditi were part of the proceedings at ZB Sports Club yesterday.

Veteran goalkeeper Nomore John, Tendai Ngulube, Muzondiwa Gonese, Misheck Mburayi, Crybert Muvuti, Tongesai Chiworeso and Munyaradzi Kunyarimwe have been released by the club.

“We only had one absentee, Crispen Dickson, otherwise all the players – that is the new and old players – turned up,” said Mangwiro.

“We have nine new players I brought to the team. We are still working on one or two acquisitions as in senior players but we are not conducting trials.

“We have signed Tatenda Tumba from Chemhanza High and goalkeeper Tatenda Munditi from Mutare Rovers as part of the junior Under-20 players together with Tino Kadewere.

“We are still looking at two more youngsters and should be concluding the exercise as we are looking at those who are coming to training.
“We have also allowed a number of youngsters to leave.”

Mangwiro said he wants a team which is ready to compete.

“We would want to do well. Harare City is coming from a season where they survived relegation on the last day. We would want a team ready to compete. But we don’t want to put ourselves under pressure.

“I wouldn’t call it raiding as these players were free agents. But it happens everywhere, (Mourane) Fellaini moved from Everton when David Moyes went to Manchester United and it shouldn’t be surprising as it happens in football.

“Even if you look at Saul Chaminuka at ZPC he was re-united with some of the players he had worked with ten years ago. It is very normal at any institution for a coach to be working with players who understand his philosophy and what he believes as a coach.”