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Innocent Kurira, [email protected]

WITH the start of this year’s Zifa Southern Region fast approaching, Adachi FC head coach, Johannes Ngodzo, says his team is ready to get the ball rolling.

The Southern Region Division One League will get underway on April 21. Adachi made some technical adjustments to their team, which saw Philani “Beefy” Ncube, who was head coach last season, taking up the role of technical director.

In the previous season, Ngodzo was assistant to Ncube.

The former midfield maestro has had coaching stints at Bantu Rovers and Bulawayo City.

“Our preparations for the season have gone well. We are looking forward to the new season. I think we have done well in terms of our preparations. We want to strike the right balance between mixing youth and experience in our squad ,” said Ngodzo.

Veterans Obidiah Tarumbwa and Thabani Goredema are some of the experienced players Ngodzo has brought on board. The duo, who has vast experience playing at the top level, are part of Ngodzo’s plans to get Adachi promoted into the topflight league.

Tarumbwa’s career has seen him play football in Belgium, Cyprus, Kenya and South Africa while Goredema has played for local clubs that include Caps United, Chicken Inn, Bulawayo City and Hwange.

Ngodzo says he predicts a tough campaign.

“First Division football is never easy. It’s so unpredictable. The best we can do is to just prepare our team and not focus on what other clubs may be doing,” said Ngodzo.

One of the country’s oldest football clubs, Zimbabwe Saints are back in the Southern Region Division One, after being readmitted into the league.

This comes after Chicken Inn’s developmental side pulled out of the league, leaving a vacant slot that was taken over by Chauya Chikwata.

Zimbabwe Saints had earlier been booted out of the league, after failing to pay affiliation fees.

They have since paid up all they owed. Another team that will play in the league is Bulawayo City. —@innocentskizoe