Raymond Jaravaza
FC PLATINUM coach Hendrik Pieter de Jongh is a man on a mission and three players have already fallen casualty in the gaffer’s quest to rid the team of “excess baggage” ahead of the new season.
Lameck Nhamo and Simon Shoko have been shipped out to cash-strapped Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services side WhaWha.
Three-time championship winning defender Gift Bello, an experienced player in the jungles of the Caf Champions League, is reportedly set to be loaned out as well.
More heads are said to be on the chopping block as the Dutch coach assembles a team that will fight to retain the Castle Premier Soccer League title.
“Two guys have already been loaned to WhaWha after the coach told the executive that they were not in his plans for the new season and from what we gather more players will be loaned out.
“Gift might also not be playing for the team this year after the coach told him that he is too short for a defender,” said an FC Platinum player.
Apart from being a tough as teak defender, Bello is remembered for an unprecedented incident where he was assaulted by former coach Norman Mapeza in full view of the club executive members, Zifa officials and fans.
The championship-winning coach did the unthinkable when he beat up a seemingly drunk Bello, who had jumped from the stands to join his partying teammates after they stormed into the lucrative group stages of the Caf Champions League in 2018.
The coach later apologised to the player and club executive.
On the other hand, Nhamo — a former Soccer Star finalist who last season struggled to pin down a first-team jersey at the club — will have his position filled by Gift Mbweti.
Shoko is coming from a three-year injury lay-off and is not guaranteed a starting jersey in the star laden FC Platinum squad.
Club spokesperson Chido Chizondo could not be reached to shed light on the latest reshuffling of the team.
