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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter

HIGHLANDERS’ coach Mark Harrison says he will be adding seven new players before the start of the season, as the Bulawayo giants seek an early grip on the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title race that has been dominated by FC Platinum for the past three years.

Bosso last won the league title in 2006, exactly four years after their trailblazing four back-to-back league titles under Rahman Gumbo and later Briton the late Eddie May.

Now 16 years later, another British native is in charge of the Bosso dugout and an aura of excitement is building among the club’s faithful.

“Hopefully, by the kick-off of the season we will have six or seven new faces in the squad and to be honest with you, any players we bring will be a great addition, as they will all bring with them something different like experience, youth, speed, quality and technique,” said Harrison, who officially started his duties on Tuesday after securing his work permit.

He said all departments need to be strengthened “so as to give us a much more balanced and in-depth squad for us to make a serious impact in the league”.

Impeccable sources said Bosso will soon start talks with their former sons, Obidiah Tarumbwa and Mkhokheli Dube, who are training with the rest of the guys in the ongoing pre-season preparations.

Highlanders parted ways with defender McClive Phiri, midfielders Denzel Khumalo and Patrick Ben Musaka, Zambian forward Peter Nyirenda and Munyaradzi Chitambwe, leaving five open slots, meaning two players will likely be loaned out.

Andrew Mbeba is turning 20 this month and will no longer be considered in the five juniors’ slots solely reserved for players below the age of 20 years.

The other two players that were registered under the juniors’ category slot, Devine Mhindirira and Russell Chifura, will have to work extra hard if they are to be registered in the seniors’ category, since they too are turning 20 this month and in July respectively.

“We are working with five junior players that we are assessing at the moment and I will now be able to assess them in the next few weeks, so we will have to wait and see how they look and fit into the dynamics of the squad,” said Harrison.