FORMER FC Platinum midfielder Joel “Josta” Ngodzo has finally agreed to terms with former employers Highlanders and yesterday signed a one-year contract with the Bulawayo giants. The deal ended speculation on his next move for the 2014 Premier Soccer League (PSL) season after he left FC Platinum.
Fortune Mbele Sports Reporter
Southern Eye Sport caught up with the stocky dribbling midfielder outside the BancABC branch in the city centre, soon after picking up his signing-on fees.
He was said to be on Dynamos, Chicken Inn and PSL returnées Chapungu’s radars.
Ngodzo was accompanied by club treasurer Jerry Sibanda and secretary Andrew Tapela and all the parties confirmed that the player had appended his signature for a one-year stay at Bosso subject to review on performance.
Also accompanying Josta was another Bosso new signing, former Shabanie Mine linkman Valentine Ndaba, who has signed a two-year contract with the Bulawayo giants.
“He (Josta) has signed a one-year contract subject to review based on his performance. As you know, he has not been playing at FC Platinum.
“But the crux of the matter is that he is now our player,” Sibanda said.
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The Highlanders treasurer also confirmed that the 2013 Mbada Diamonds Cup winners have grabbed former Chicken Inn goalkeeper Njabulo “Popo” Nyoni, who has also signed a two-year contract.
Popo is likely to be replacing young Archieford Katsande, who has been shown the door.
“We had already agreed in principle with Josta and what was left was for him to sign the contract and he is now our player,” Bosso secretary Andrew Tapela confirmed.
Tapela said there was no need to panic as Highlanders had also finalised a deal with goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya, who is away with the Warriors for the African Nations Championships (Chan) tournament in South Africa.
He said they had retained most of their senior players and they were left with finalising discussions with midfielders Peter “Rio” Moyo and Milton Ncube who are also in South Africa with the Warriors.
Moyo and Ncube had been linked with a move to league champions Dynamos. Bosso have already lost Masimba Mambare who signed a three-year contract with DeMbare and veteran
striker Njabulo “Tshiki” Ncube, who has found a new home at FC Platinum after penning a one-year contract.
Ngodzo said he will start training on Monday.
“There is no need to panic. Diya is our player and we have retained most of our senior players, Erick Mudzingwa, Dumisani Ndlovu, Bruce Kangwa and Mthulisi Maphosa — and we are just waiting for Rio and Milton to return from Chan,” Tapela said.
Bosso, who are also eyeing another former FC Platinum player Charles Sibanda and Hwange defender Eric Chipeta when they return from South Africa, have already concluded four new deals for the 2014 season that has seen them roping in Ndaba, Khumbulani Banda and of late Nyoni and Ngodzo.
The players will be working out with new assistant coaches Mark Mathe and Peter “Oxo” Nkomo awaiting the return of head coach Kelvin Kaindu.
Kaindu is in his native Zambia and is expected to join the club next month.
