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Paul Mundandi Sports Reporter
FC PLATINUM coach Norman Mapeza yesterday said no player is guaranteed a starting place in his team and said newboy Brett Amidu has to fight to be part of the team. Addressing a Press conference yesterday, Mapeza urged his players to remain focussed and not to be distracted by social media issues. The FC Platinum leadership was accused of signing players without the involvement of the coach, but Mapeza threw weight behind his employers when he faced reporters at Mandava ahead of the trip to Bulawayo for a Premiership match against in-form How Mine.

“The players who are here at the club, I am the one who asked the executive to bring them here. We brought the guys here to add depth to our team and there is no guarantee for Brett to get an automatic jersey,’’ said Mapeza.

“Everybody here fights for the first eleven. Rodwell (Chinyengetere) came here from Hwange and he did not play the first five games as he sat on the bench.

“I never heard of anybody complaining that Rodwell must go back to Hwange because he was not starting when he came. A new player needs to understand the environment and the philosophy.

“I am a coach and I have a certain way of doing things. I have a certain way of how I want football to be played. I can’t be made to change the way I operate in football because of social media.

‘’No, no, no, I can’t do that and I am not even worried about the social media.

“Are they coaches? No! They are just people moving in the streets and I am not worried about them. I will lose it when I listen to social media. I spoke to Brett and he understands the situation.’’

Mapeza said he won’t change his philosophy just to accommodate Amidu.

“I am guided by my principles, my philosophy. I am guided by what I believe, I am guided by the way I feel football should be played and one needs to understand our philosophy,’’ he said.

“Football is a patient game and Brett needs to be patient.

‘’I have been in this situation before. I was 19-years-old playing for Darryn T and I was not getting a guarantee to be in the starting line-up but I was patient.

“There must be no witch-hunt in football. You have to choose the correct path or the wrong path.’’

Brett has featured in the Independence Cup and ZNA Charities Shield matches.

He has also featured twice in the league against Black Rhinos at Morris Depot and Hwange at Maglas.

He was introduced in the 65th minute against Hwange, to boost the attack as the hosts searched for a goal, and when FC Platinum found their goal he was substituted in the 89th minute for Gerald Takwara who is a defensive player.