By Onny Gangata
THEY may have lost out on the league title to Herentals Queens last season but army side, Black Rhinos Queens are expecting to emerge stronger this season after making several additions to their squad.
The army side have mainly relied on their juniors side in bolstering their team this pre-season.
The kick off dates of the Zimbabwe Women’s Super League(ZWSL) are yet to be revealed but Chauya Chipembere are leaving no stones unturned in making sure they have their team ready.
The Harare side are currently on a week long bonding session in Gweru that began last Monday.
Black Rhinos Queens coach, Kudakwashe Matuwi says they have been using the bonding session to integrate the new players with the squad and create a strong foundation for the upcoming season.
“The main reason for this bonding session is to create unity in our squad and to form a formidable team that can challenge for honours,” Matuwi said.
The army side has promoted several young players from their juniors into the first team for the forthcoming season.
Some of the players include Takunda Munawera,Caroline Magwayi, Martia Nyanhete, Kelly Chatyoka, Panashe Ganje and Passion Chihwena.
“We have a number of young players from our juniors side and we are using this period to integrate the new players to the squad and create working combinations,” he added.
“When you look at the players we have promoted to our senior team, most of them have been together for three or more years, that helps a lot in terms of the players understanding our system, it is different from bringing in new players from outside.”
After finishing as runners up to Herentals Queens last season, many would have thought the army side may have been knocked off their perch at last, after years of dominance.
However, Matuwi reckons, last season,his side was only shedding off its old skin as they had a couple of older players who left the squad.
He believes with the new additions to the squad, nothing will stand in the army side’s way as they seek to reclaim their status as the best team in women’s football in the country.
“Finishing second last season, was, for us an over achievement because we were a team in transition as we had lost several players who had been part of the side for years.This time we have managed to replenish the squad, i am confident we will be back to our best and reclaim the title,” Matuwi stated.
