Zimpapers Logo

Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
NOMADIC striker Njabulo “Tshiki” Ncube has made a return to Bulawayo giants Highlanders beating the transfer deadline yesterday after FC Platinum agreed to release him.
As reported by Chronicle Sport in the June 18 edition, Tshiki, who had a frustrating first half of the season at FC Platinum, has been brought back to ease the striking woes at championship chasing Bosso despite leaving the club under a cloud.

Ncube negotiated with Highlanders in bad faith at the beginning of the season as he knew he had already signed for FC Platinum and was merely in the city to collect his training kit before joining his new paymasters in Kariba.

Tshiki demanded cash upfront from Bosso but the club was unable to cough up since their principal sponsors BancABC had not released money for transfers at the time.

Ncube is not the only player that Highlanders registered at the close of the mid-season transfer with midfielder Pasca Manhanga of Triangle and utility player Kudzanai Machazane from Tsholotsho FC signing for Bosso.

Highlanders’ chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede confirmed the capture of the three players bringing to five the number of players that they have signed during the mid-season window.

“Because of the cordial relations that we enjoy with FC Platinum, we have managed to get a letter from the Zvishavane club to register Njabulo. We are busy trying to beat the transfer deadline and what is left is for Ncube to put pen to paper before we send his papers alongside those that we have sealed deals with — Manhanga and Machazane,” said Gumede.

The stocky striker, who was instrumental in Highlanders’ end to a major cup drought as Bosso won the Mbada Diamonds Cup last season, struggled to break into FC Platinum’s first team with some speculating that it could have been because of the style of play that the miners were using under Lloyd Mutasa.

Mutasa has introduced some attacking flair to the Zvishavane club with the players quick off the blocks going forward as well as chasing back. This therefore meant that Ncube, who is comfortable playing as a central striker, struggled to fit into the system which requires the strikers to chase back into midfield if they lose possession and be quick on the offensive if they gain the ball.

Ncube fell down the pecking order with Stephen “Dealer” Sibanda, Donald Ngoma, Michelle Katsvairo and Obrey Chirwa preferred forwards at the platinum miners.

Ncube, a trusted lieutenant by the Bosso coach Kelvin Kaindu, is seen as a good assist forward for Charles Sibanda.

Manhanga’s capture virtually ended any hopes of Peter “Rio” Moyo having another dance with Bosso as the diminutive former Tsholotsho star is better on the offensive with far more positive play than the likeable Moyo who tends to delay attacks by holding unnecessarily too long to the ball.