New Manica Diamonds coach Jairos Tapera has raided his former club Triangle United, with at least five players set to join him at the Mutare-based club.
The former Under-20 coach joined replaced Johanisi Nhumwa at the tail end of last
season.
Sources told NewsDay Sport yesterday that at least five players from Triangle had agreed to join Manica Diamonds.
The list includes all the top performers from the Lowveld side, which finished sixth in the league last season.
Topping the list is striker Donald Ngoma, who was the club’s top goal scorer with nine goals.
Hard running winger and the club’s fan favourite Gerald Bhero is also understood to be heading to Mutare, as is defender Tawanda Chisi, Godfrey Chisango and Kelvin Gwao.
“All these have agreed to join and what is remaining is for them to sign on the dotted line,” a source told NewsDay Sport yesterday.
- Struggling Manica Diamonds axe coaches
- Gem Boys coach Tapera raids former club Triangle
- Glory glory Caps Utd
- Bosso coach dazzles rivals
Keep Reading
“Everything have been agreed on with the players’ managers and as soon as their contract with their current employer lapse next week, then they sign. These are all very good players, whom we think can improve the team.”
The source also claimed that Manica Diamonds had also snapped up goalkeeper Tedius Baye, who is joining from promoted side Green Fuels.
He was voted the best goalkeeper in the Eastern Region Zifa Division One last season.
“That one is a done deal. The paperwork is complete, he is a Manica Diamonds player,” the source said.
“We are negotiating with five more players whom we are looking to add on to the squad. What that means is we are going to offload quite a number from our squad last season.”
Club spokesperson Masimba Chihowa could not be reached for a comment yesterday.
Manica Diamonds is looking to improve from their performance last season when they finished 10th on the log standings.
They started the campaign well and at one point, looked like they would run away with the league title.
But a dip in at the back end of the season saw them dropping points freely in a performance which cost Nhumwa his job with five rounds of matches remaining.
In the matches that Tapera took charge, he managed one win, one defeat and three draws.
They finished with 45 points, 30 behind league champions FC Platinum.
