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Lovemore Dube Senior Sports Editor
FC Platinum chairman Dumisani Sisale yesterday said there was no bad blood between his team and striker Njabulo Ncube.
The stocky forward (in Highlanders colours below) was on Tuesday seen at a Highlanders training session at White City Stadium in Bulawayo, a sighting that triggered talk of a possible switch back to Bosso.  His utterances to the media: “Ozonda iHighlanders, uzonda unina” left many questions unanswered. It appeared as if he was announcing his imminent return, or inferring why journalists are always chasing news at the club.

Sisale said they were expecting the player back in camp to fulfil his contractual obligations.
A Chronicle news crew was barred from the stadium on Tuesday but sources among the players said Ncube is eager to return.
Sisale said Ncube had asked to stay behind in Bulawayo to attend a funeral.

“He said he was staying behind in Bulawayo because of a bereavement in his family. He went away for a funeral and as far as we know within our structures, he never registered any unhappiness for any issue that would have required us to solve.

“We are surprised that he was at Highlanders’ training. As far as we are concerned, he is in Bulawayo attending to a relative’s funeral and nothing else. We expect him in Zvishavane as soon as he is done,” said Sisale.

Ncube could not be reached for a comment yesterday.
On Tuesday, he referred Chronicle to the Highlanders executive.

The Bosso management said they were also surprised to hear about Ncube wanting to train with the club. They said they did not want to spoil their relationship with FC Platinum by entertaining him without clearance.

Ncube is contracted to FC Platinum until the end of the year and is believed to have received $8,000 in signing-on fees for the year, a figure $3,000 more than what he had been promised at Highlanders.

Highlanders, who issued a clearance to the player more than two months ago when he appeared to negotiate in bad faith with the club, knowing that he had 48 hours earlier on signed for the platinum miners, said they could talk to him now as he is under contract.

Registration for the PSL has already closed and he would have to wait until June, unless he is released by FC Platinum.
From Sisale’s tone, it is highly unlikely that Ncube is a player they are counting on for a serious onslaught in this year’s league championship.

Clubs are allowed to talk to players if they are left with six months of their contracts.
Highlanders chairman Peter Dube confirmed yesterday that they had advised the player to go back to FC Platinum.

“The football way is he should be at FC Platinum first before we engage him after being cleared by the club that pays his salary. We do not want to fall foul with our neighbours. We value relationships we cultivate with other clubs as besides being competitors, we are in the game together for its good,” said Dube.

Ncube’s departure and that of Masimba Mambare drew mixed feelings from the Bosso family. At the time of departure, Highlanders had not yet received $100,000 from their sponsors.

Ncube is said to have demanded cash on the table to append his signature on a new contract, money which Amahlolanyama did not have at the time.

Sources within the mining town however alleged Ncube was no longer happy at the club. What appears to have infuriated the player is that his salary is available at the  bank two or three days after the rest of the team.

“It is not a fault of ours as a club. We transfer all the salaries on the same day. If there a delays, it’s the normal inter-bank transaction that we are all aware of,” said Sisale.

Ncube was with a bank with links with Highlanders, while FC Platinum and the mining concern have a relationship with another in Zvishavane to which Ncube was advised to transfer.

Ncube has left Highlanders four times.
Last year, he was admitted back after leaving unceremoniously the previous year and was even protected by the club when he returned to Botswana and caused a scene at his former club which lasted hours.

At 32, analysts say, Ncube must find a steady home and settle down as a footballer as he might not find any other environment as accommodating on and off the field as Highlanders.

With Highlanders even on the field, the type of play was changed to suit his lack of pace with no through balls but the ball  was played to his feet or chest where he was very effective.

He was Highlanders’ top goalscorer last season.