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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
OVER 60 footballers, mostly from the First Division, turned up for Bulawayo Chiefs’ trials that kicked off at Raylton Sports Club on Monday and are set to end on Sunday.

Chiefs’ head of technical Thulani Sibanda said they’ll round up their trials with two friendly games against Southern Region Division One League sides CIWU and Casmyn at the end of the week.

Sibanda, who was overwhelmed by the huge turnout, believes they will unearth unheralded talent to replace influential players that they lost during the off-season break.

“We lost quite a number of players that formed the backbone of our team and now we are holding trials to find replacements as well as new talent that will give us the edge we want. Our focus is on young players, who we can easily teach the team’s philosophy. We want to give up-and-coming stars a platform to shine and on our first day of trials, we had over 60 players and sent away 40,” said Sibanda.

“We will continue trimming the number as the week progresses. Those who would have survived having seen their impetus at training will play friendly matches against CIWU on Friday and Casmyn on Sunday. It is after those games that we will decide who to sign, because some players are good at training and not as good as you want them to be in competitive games,” he said.

Chiefs lost skipper Gracious Muleya, their 2018 season top goal scorer with nine goals to Chapungu, defender Andrew Tandi moved to Black Rhinos and playmaker Perfect Chikwende has been snapped up by FC Platinum.

Premiership returnees Hwange are reportedly planning to raid Chiefs for forceful striker Stanley Ngala.

Young Warriors’ left-back Brendon Mpofu and attacking midfielder Tafadzwa Dhliwayo of Southern Region Division One side Indlovu Iyanyathela were among players that attended Chiefs’ trials.

Zim Leopards striker Tambudzai Ngulube, ZRP Bulawayo Province’s forward Enos Magusvi and Talen Vision central midfielder Mandla Gasela are also trying their luck at Chiefs.

The regular Chiefs’ players that attended the opening day of pre-season training are goalkeeper David Bizabani, defender Lee Matizirofa, midfielders Clement Makamba and Shepherd Mhlanga.

Sibanda expects nine more players from his 2018 squad to report for duty in preparation for Friday’s medical tests.

Right-back Marvin Mkolo, utility player Moses Majika, Young Warriors’ utility player Shadreck Nyahwa, strikers Farau Matare and Eddie Chidavaenzi, defensive midfielder Takunda Muzuva, attacking midfielder Arthur Musiiwa, defender Sikhumbulani Dube and skipper Kundishora Chakanyuka will join the quartet of Bizabani, Matizirofa, Makamba and Mhlanga for medical tests.

— @ZililoR