Moses Chunga
Augustine Hwata Sports Reporter
FORMER Warriors skipper Moses Chunga is picking up the pieces and will today get his Hippo Valley players back in training as he presses on with his mission to play in the domestic Premiership this year. Chunga was last year left heartbroken after Tongat Hullett made a decision not to sponsor Hippo Valley in the Premiership, but the coach remains determined that the team will be part of the elite cast in the top-flight league this season.
Despite the dust not having yet settled, Chunga will today hold a training session for his players, in anticipation of playing in the Premiership when the season gets underway.
“We are going to hold our training session tomorrow (today) for the franchise so that we prepare for the season.
“Most of the players who were at Hippo Valley last season are expected to turn up for training with the exception of a few who have asked to be excused.
“But I hope everyone should be at training by Friday and this is just one step we are taking to bring Premiership football to Chiredzi,” said Chunga. Last month, Tongat Hulett announced that they will only be able to sponsor only one club, Triangle, in the Premiership because of a depressed operating environment.
The company also owned the Hippo Valley franchise that had won the ticket into the Premiership from the Zifa Eastern Region Division One.
“We are negotiating with some sponsors and things are promising. Very soon we could be announcing our new status after all the logistics have been put in place.
“As a team, we have always believed that we will be a force to reckon with. Hopefully, we should retain most our old guard but I am also going to bring the Kidznet project,” said Chunga.
Chunga said he will be holding trials for players aged between 18 and 23 at Chishamiso Stadium to create a bigger pool of his players.
“Next week, we will be conducting trials for players between 18 and 23 years and we want those from Chiredzi and surrounding areas mainly,” he said.
“I had been speaking to my youngster (Callisto Pasuwa) before he left for CHAN on the possibility of them coming here for a pre-season match.
“Pasuwa was receptive to the idea but we will see after the CHAN tournament.”
Chunga is also hoping to hold belated celebrations for Hippo Valley’s success in the Zifa Eastern Region Division One championship last season.
“I believe we are going to have exciting moments in Chiredzi and we should be defeating visiting teams PaMuuyu (the nickname for Chishamiso). It was never our intention to fight with anyone but I believe there was lack of communication over the issues. In the end we felt our feelings were being trampled upon.
“I have also been talking to my young man Sulu (Chimbetu) to see if he can come and hold a show here.
“We could not celebrate our success last season, but now things are falling into place. I would like to thank the friends of Bambo and the community who have been supportive and remain behind us,” said Chunga.