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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
BUDGETARY constraints have forced Premiership giants Dynamos, Highlanders and CAPS United to trade with caution on the transfer market with the big three clubs being forced to resort to the orthodox recruitment style of holding trials.

Unlike in previous seasons, the country’s three biggest clubs will not be raiding the transfer market with a lot of zeal as they try to balance their books.

Dynamos gave a glimpse of their new-look squad at a ceremony in the capital last Friday where they unveiled five players including two who are returning from loan spells in Division One.

But after presenting Kelvin Bulaji, Godknows Murwira and Tonderai Mateyaunga, and the returning pair of Carlos Rusere and Nigel Gandari from a loan stint in Division, Dynamos revealed yesterday that that they would this morning hold trials for prospective players.

Dynamos indicated that they seek to add about four senior players into their squad which is heavily biased towards juniors.

Highlanders and CAPS United have also taken a heavy bias towards youthful players with the clubs using trials as a means to recruit new material.

Dynamos were forced to put their faith in junior players as their budget was cut by 40 percent by their sponsors BancABC.

It is the same scenario with Bulawayo giants Highlanders who have a reduced budget from the same sponsors and are recruiting more juniors.

DeMbare secretary-general Webster Chikengezha said yesterday that while the club’s pre season is beginning today in the capital at the National Sports Stadium’s B arena the coaches are also expected to assess more players at the C arena.

“There would be two sessions starting tomorrow at 9am. All the registered players would be at Arena B while all those wishing to try their luck would be at Arena C and would be assessed by the coaches for three days.

“I don’t know how exactly they would do it but if we can get two or three more senior players it would bring stability to our team.

“From the 26 players we have at the moment, 23 of them are below 23 years and the only senior players we still have in the team are Augustine Mbara, Ocean Mushure and Stephen Alimenda,” said Chikengezha.

Striker Washington Pakamisa who was absent at the unveiling ceremony on Friday is rumoured to be on his way out with reports linking the player to Mozambican side Clube de Desportos da Costa do Sol, which is popularly known as Costa do Sol.

However, Chikengezha was singing a different tune yesterday and insisted that the former CAPS United striker still has a running contract with them which will expire at the end of this year.

Chikengezha said both Pakamisa and the prospective club would have to approach Dynamos for the player’s services.

The Dynamos officials said Pakamisa and Alimenda who were absent at the unveiling, were out of town and expected to join the rest of the team today for training.

“If he wants to join Costa he has to approach us first. He has a contract with us up to the end of the year and his signing on fees are fully paid so there is no excuse at all.

“We just heard by rumours that he was in Mozambique but thought it is one of those things that happen to players during the off season,” Chikengezha said. It is not yet clear, however, if Pakamisa has agreed terms with the club that was once coached by David Mandigora in Mozambique.

Financially troubled CAPS United have also gone the traditional way of holding trials in seeking new players and tomorrow from 8am they will at Unit L Community Ground in Seke, Chitungwiza before taking their talent search to Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfield the following day.

The trials for the senior team have also been conducted in Mutare, Kadoma, Kwekwe, Gweru and Bulawayo.

In statement released by the club’s spokesperson Joyce Kapota, the club is dealing with the age group of between 15-23 years and the recruitment exercise has been “a success so far.

“We encourage all the youth to come as this is an opportunity to showcase their talent and can earn them a place on the first team for this season.

“Our recruitment team comprises of Academy director Ray Mundembe, chief scout Josephat Rwafa and Academy coach Jack Cameroon and Yohane Chikaola,” read the statement.

CAPS United are yet to make any major signing but they have not made it a secret through chief executive Joe Makuvire that they will not be doing any much buying and might actually sell players.