FORMER Highlanders dribbling attacking midfielder Siza Khoza has urged Bosso players to shun disturbances outside football in the remaining games, saying they can still win the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) title.
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The Bulawayo giants have been mired in a myriad of problems of late that saw striker Njabulo “Tshiki” Ncube being suspended from the club for two weeks for indiscipline resulting from incidents at a hotel in Harare before the 1-4 drubbing by Dynamos in the final of the TM Pick n Pay Challenge Cup on September 6.
After missing games against How Mine and Harare City, Ncube is expected to return this weekend for the tie against ZPC Kariba at Hartsfield Rugby Grounds.
Leading PSL scorer Charles Sibanda and midfielder Joel Ngodzo were reprimanded by the club.
Coach Kelvin Kaindu has been under the spotlight following the 0-1 defeat to Dynamos in a league match at BF last month, the TM Pick n Pay Challenge Cup loss and last Saturday’s 0-1 defeat by Harare City dropping in league match, which saw them dropping to position three on the log standings, four points behind Dynamos with seven matches to go.
They meet stubborn ZPC Kariba at the weekend at Hartsfield and Khoza has urged the players to remain steadfast and focus on games as it is still possible to clinch the league which has eluded the Bulawayo giants for seven years.
“They (the players) should just focus on the remaining games. We have seen league titles being won on the last day and it’s not over yet. There are still seven more games to play,” he said.
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“If they concentrate on what is happening now at the club, it will distract their focus. They should just focus, have the fighting spirits and leave everything behind. This talk about Kaindu this and Kaindu that will not lead anywhere. Football is all about the player whose input is 90% and the coach just puts in 10%. They should just focus and I believe Highlanders could still win the championship.”
A thorn in the side for many defenders at his peak with his dribbling skills, Khoza made history in local football, winning five championship medals between 1999 and 2004.
He won the league title four times in a row from 1999 to 2002 with Highlanders coached by legend Rahman Gumbo in 1999 and 2000 and the late Eddie May in 2001 and 2002.
Khoza played alongside Zenzo Moyo, Thabani Masawi, Dazzy Kapenya, Melusi Ndebele, Thulani “Biya” Ncube, Bekithemba “Super” Ndlovu and Noel Kaseke among others.
In 2000, he was part of the Highlanders squad that lost to Cameroon’s Sable de Batie in the Champions League in the second round of the Caf Champions League despite taking a 3-0 first leg win.
He crossed the floor to Caps United and won his fifth championship medal under coach Charles Mhlauri in 2004 before joining Motor Action the following year and winning the Independence Trophy with Gumbo as his coach, ironically against Highlanders.
Currently he is one of the directors at Young Flying Stars Soccer Academy which is based at Raylton Sports Club together with Collen Nyambiya, Master Masiku, Arnold Nidza and Kaseke who is currently a free agent after being released by Al-Shaab CSC in the United Arab Emirates Pro-League.
PSL fixtures Saturday: How Mine v Chicken Inn (Hartsfield), FC Platinum v Buffaloes (Mandava), Chapungu v Chiredzi (Ascot), Black Rhinos v Caps United (Rimuka SS)
Sunday: Dynamos v Shabanie Mine (Rufaro SS), Triangle v Harare City (Gibbo), Highlanders v ZPC Kariba(Hartsfield)
Monday: Bantu Rovers v Hwange (Hartsfield)
