Siwela, Marime back at Hwange

Sport
HWANGE players Nkosana Siwela and Aleck Marime are back at the club after missing the first training sessions ahead of the 2015 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.

HWANGE players Nkosana Siwela and Aleck Marime are back at the club after missing the first training sessions ahead of the 2015 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.

SUKOLUHLE MTHETHWA SPORTS REPORTER

The Matabeleland North team started training on Monday last week with Siwela, Marime, Richard Jongwe and Oscar Lungu missing, in preparation for the season which will kick off on March 7.

Siwela, a former soccer star of the year finalist in an interview with this publication on Wednesday last week said: “I want to leave Hwange.

I have stayed for too long and I now want to move. I have enjoyed my stay, but it is time to leave. I am going to ask for my clearance tomorrow (Thursday last week).”

However, Hwange coach Nation Dube yesterday said Siwela and Marime were back in the team.

“Our preparations for the season are going on very well,” Dube said.

“Nkosana and Aleck are back in the team after missing our first training sessions.

“They started training yesterday (Tuesday). I am happy they are back and now we can start preparing as a full team. However, Oscar (Lungu) and (Richard) Jongwe have left the club. They have been given their clearances.”

Hwange coach Nation Dube
Hwange coach Nation Dube

Dube said Siwela had indicated that he wanted to leave the club, while Marime said he failed to communicate with the team as he was attending to personal problems.

Hwange has promoted attacking midfielder Gift Mbweti and Innocent Mucheneka, a holding midfielder.

Dube said they were hoping to work on their mistakes so as to improve this year.

“We finished the league on position nine in 2013 and seven last year,” he said.

“We are hoping to improve and move up. What we want to do is to work hard and have a fighting spirit. We want to have a strong character so that when we face bad officiating we are ready for the challenge.

“We want to be consistent.”

The newly-promoted players will be expected to blend with Isaac Masame, David Boriwondo, Gerald Ndlovu, Evans Rusike, Rodwell Chinyengetere and Farai Vimisai.

Despite a strong start last year, Hwange finished the season on position seven with 42 points from 11 wins and nine draws.

They lost 10 matches.