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Gift Lunga Junior

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS will this Saturday conduct trials for their three junior categories at the club house as they begin preparations for the 2018 season.

The club house is expected to be a hive of activity, with youngsters in the Under-14, Under-16 and Under-18 age groups battling to make the cut.

This will herald the beginning of a journey into the first team for the youngsters if the club is serious about reviving its once vibrant junior policy.

Bosso chief executive officer Nhlanhla Dube said the trials will be conducted by coaches that will be announced at a press conference tomorrow.  There are unlikely to be changes to current junior coaches Sizabantu Khoza, Gift Lunga Jr and Melusi “Mabaleka” Sibanda, who is also in charge of the developmental side Bosso 90 in the Zifa Southern Region Division One league.

“We shall be holding trials for the juniors this Saturday at the club house. Our junior coaches will conduct that exercise, but the confirmation of the coaches will be done at our Thursday press conference where we will also likely confirm the whole technical structure from the head coach,” said Dube.

The Highlanders’ junior system has in the past few years been literally neglected, with players no longer having the zeal to play for the club, as they would rarely be promoted to the first team.

Melusi Sibanda

Bosso are believed to have promoted five boys from the Under-18 side to the first team and four from Bosso 90. Sources said the club would be releasing some senior players from the first team.

Contracts of the Democratic Republic of Congo duo of Tambwe Kalunga and Yves Ebabali have already been terminated by mutual agreement, while one of the 2017 captains Rahman Kutsanzira has since joined Total Caf Champions League participants FC Platinum.

Junior product Tendai Ndlovu has already committed his future to the club by renewing his deal. Other senior players that are set to be retained include goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda, Honest Moyo and long-serving workaholic Eric Mudzingwa, who has clocked 11 years at the club after starting as a striker in the Under-14s and rising through the ranks until he broke into the first team.

@skhumoyo2000