Fungai Muderere
AFTER a long spell out in the cold, former Warriors captain, Danny “Deco” Phiri is happy to have joined ambitious Castle Lager Premier Soccer League outfit Bulawayo Chiefs.
Phiri, a holding midfielder who captained Chicken Inn and did duty for South Africa’s DStv side Golden Arrows, was among a plethora of veteran players that tried their luck at Chiefs, a club that has been hit by a massive player exodus owing to chaos over unpaid salaries.
Moyo twins Elvis and Kelvin, Kevin Madzongwe, Arthur Musiyiwa are some of the players that severed ties with Bulawayo Chiefs.
Formerly with Highlanders, Tsholotsho FC and Bidvest Wits and Sekhukune United, right back MacClive Phiri also left the now Lizwe Sweswe-mentored side.
“Ninja Alert. Danny ‘Deco’ Phiri is now a NINJA,” posted Bulawayo Chiefs on their social media pages.
Phiri has joined Chiefs together with ex-Tsholotsho FC and FC Platinum utility player William Stima who was recently offloaded by Pure Platinum Play.
“I ‘m happy to be back and ready to work at Bulawayo Chiefs,” said Phiri in a brief interview with B Metro Sport.
The duo was unveiled by Bulawayo Chiefs ahead of the 2023 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League campaign.
The new season is scheduled to start in March. Phiri who has been unattached after trying his luck at Ngezi Platinum Stars, was offloaded by Golden Arrows in July 2021.
After that the 2015 Zimbabwe Soccer Star of the Year moved to join Diamond Trust Bank [DTB] in Tanzania’s second-tier division.
He left Tanzania at the end of 2021 under a cloud of uncertainty together with Chicken Inn midfield maestro Tafadzwa Kutinyu. As a result, the combative Phiri went on to spend the whole of 2022 club less.
At Abafana Besithende he wriggled with a nagging knee injury. He featured in 97 matches in all competitions where he scored three goals.
Phiri joined Golden Arrows in July 2016 from Chicken Inn who had won the 2015 Zimbabwean title.
At Chicken Inn he played alongside towering Warriors defender Teenage Hadebe, Mitchel Katsvairo and Edmore Chirambadare who then joined South Africa’s Super Diski.
Sweswe said he was happy to have these experienced players in his squad.
“I think everything’s coming up well. I’m happy to have found everything in order. I took over from people who were doing a fantastic job in conducting trials. New faces have been showing up everyday and at this level it is good to have experienced players coming to help out young players. There is a need to have such guys, experienced players who can always give stability to the team and also give the young ones the much-needed football guidance,” said Sweswe, who is coming from a fruitful coaching stint at Zifa Southern Region Division One club Talen Vision.
