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Ricky Zililo in BULAWAYO

THERE has been a change in attitude in training, for the Highlanders players, making life a lot easier for their coaches as they battle to make up for lost time, in this pre-season.

Domestic football returns next week, with the Premier Soccer League clubs completing the Chibuku Super Cup, which was suspended midway, when the Sports Commission announced a ban on all sporting disciplines.

This followed the tightening of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions by the Government.

Bosso resumed training, almost two weeks ago, when other teams were already into their pre-season.

Some of the Highlanders players had dodged scheduled Covid-19 tests, protesting over the non-payment, of their outstanding salaries.

Everything has now changed, since Boso clinched a multi-million dollar sponsorship deal from energy giants Sakunda Holdings, last Tuesday.

The following day, most players reported for training, at Ascot Racecourse, where they have been doing cardio exercises. Defensive midfielder, Adrian Silla, reported for duty yesterday.

The Bosso medical team cleared central midfielder, Divine Mhindirira, to resume light training yesterday, after he recovered from a knee injury, suffered in May, during one of Highlanders’ Chibuku Super Cup games.

Head coach Mandla Mpofu said Mhindirira will not be involved in contact training, for the next week, while attacking midfielder Muzi Dhlamini, is being assessed, after pulling a hamstring.

Striker Rodi Sibanda is expected to join the rest of the squad today.

Mpofu is confident that, despite losing almost two weeks of training, they will be ready for the Chibuku Super Cup next week.

“I’m impressed with how the players are responding to our training methods. We started late and we have been doing cardio training at Ascot Racecourse since last Wednesday.

“The players understand the need to work during the weekend to make up for lost time.

“We are mindful of not overloading the players, so this week we started endurance training with the ball at White City Stadium.

“We’ve come up with a programme that is conducive for everyone. If we do double sessions today, then tomorrow we hold just one session, so that the players recover,” said Mpofu.

He held meetings with the players yesterday and briefed them about the club and technical team’s expectations.

“It’s important to get the players to understand what I want as a coach and what the club wants, hence the meetings we had.

“They were frank meetings and the players promised to give their all and forget everything that happened in the past. We’ve to focus on our goals by preparing for the challenges ahead.

“On the remuneration side, everyone is happy and grateful that Sakunda Holdings came to the club at the right time,” Mpofu said. Bosso resume their Chibuku Super Cup campaign with a game against Bulawayo Chiefs on Thursday next week before taking on Chicken Inn four days later.