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Ashley Rambanepasi

Takudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
FORMER CAPS United player Ashley Rambanepasi will return home as a juniors’ coach this season.
Rambanepasi, who had stints with Dynamos and Gunners, is back at the Green Machine.He was part of the people at the CAPS United training session in the capital. Assistant coach Brenna Msiska took the players through their paces in the absence of his boss Mark Harrison.

“We will have our final trials by Friday and by then we will have a complete team that we will work with this season. We have made progress and the players worked hard throughout the process and I believe we have talent.

“We gave everyone a chance despite the large turnout by players. We will have some players who need to be polished and that will be done with time and we hope those who will not make it will have an opportunity sometime,” Msiska said.

Msiska said they will find a way to accommodate new players if they exceed the projected number of 35.

“We will find a way to accommodate some players if we exceed the number we want but we are also looking at age when we trim our final team.

“We are looking forward to having a team that will have experience and young talent. We are looking at having a team that will last beyond 2018 so we will incorporate players from 16 to 22 years,” Msiska added.

The team has so far lost atleast six players, who include Kelvin Bulaji (Dynamos), Tapuwa Khumbuyani (How Mine), Tendai Samanja and Tafadzwa Dube while Honey Chimutimunzeve and Nicholas did not renew their loan deal.

The team has, however, managed to retain the services of contracted players, who were loaned out last season, like goalkeeper Chris Mverechena, Donald Bhanya and Keith Chikotora (ZRP Morris), Lee Ruzvidzo (Masvingo), Farai Munemo (Mushowani Stars) while 18-year-old Blessing Nyamuziwa was at Prince Edward.

The other notable players who are trying their luck at the Green Machine include Victor Twaliki, Itai Chiwara, Tapiwa Mangezi, Danger Fourpence, Willard Kalongonda, Carlos Messi and Blessing Tigere.

Charles Mutero has been offered a deal. The trio of Dominic Chungwa, Ronald Pfumbidzai and Steven Makatuka were not at the training session amid reports that they were not feeling well.

Team manager George Gumbo said the trio asked to be excused but this will just fuel speculation that they don’t want to be part of the Green Machine.