Masvingo (New Ziana) –Masvingo United, which carries the hopes of the local football lovers for a possible dance in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), has started preparations in earnest as it plans to give it a shot this year.
Una Una as it is affectionately known, Masvingo United was able to achieve its plans to make the top four in the 2022 Eastern Region Division One league when it came third after garnering 51 points after second placed Mutare City Rovers who got 57, and log leaders, Green Fuel of Chisumbanje, which grabbed the sole ticket to the topflight league after garnering a run-away tally of 70 points.
In an interview with New Ziana, Masvingo United chairperson, Moses Mavhusa said preparations for the upcoming season were underway with trials for both old and new players having started on Monday at the team’s home ground, Mucheke Stadium.
He said only after the trials would the executive and coaching staff know players that would be available with one or two old players having requested for clearance letters while many new ones were keen to join the team.
“In terms of sponsorship, we have some promises from potential sponsors but as the executive we are going ahead with preparations for the upcoming season. We were geared for Division One league, but ZIFA proposed to create a national league made up of the top four teams from each of the Eastern, Northern, Central and Southern regions,” said Mavhusa.
“ZIFA is still talking about this new arrangement, but we are preparing for all eventualities. We had drawn up a budget in preparation for the Division One league but when talk of the national league came up, we had to review our budget,” he said.
“As for reaching out to the community, we are saying the team remains part of a community asset and the community needs to remain part of the preparations. It is also a way of giving an update to the community such as the start of the trials today it requires new balls, bibs, cones and other materials needed for this exercise so we are simply saying those capable of helping the team in any way should come forward.”
At least the team had somewhere to start from including some old and new balls, but more were required, he said.
Mavhusa said last season, the team had target to end the season within the top four of the leagues which it achieved by coming out third.
He expressed confidence that the team would perform much better this season and possibly achieve promotion into the top light league be it from Division One or the national league.
New Ziana
