NO MAJOR CHANGES AT STUDENTS

HERENTALS are looking at winning silverware this coming season after managing to keep all but one of their key men from last season.

The Students managed to ring-fence the core of their players from inquiries by different clubs this transfer period.

They could only let go of winger, Davison Marowa, who was one of their top performers last term, after his contract ran out at the end of last year.

Marowa is now with FC Platinum where he has reunited with ex-Herentals teammate Juan Mutudza.

Herentals have added steel to the squad with the acquisition of former WhaWha and CAPS United player Admiral Matope, Leon Daka from Cranborne as well as goalkeeper Reason White, who was poached from relegated Triangle.

They have also promoted four players from their reserve team, the Herentals Under-20 side that compete in the Northern Region Division One Soccer League.

Top scorer from that team last season, with seven goals in just 16 games Tanaka Dhlakama, Webster Dombo, Tinashe Mupumha and Tinashe Chimanikire have all been elevated to join the big boys.

Seventeen-year-old Ryan Kanavheti has been promoted from the team’s Division 2 club straight to the Premiership side.

“As a coach, I am very happy that we managed to retain all the guys we had last season,” said coach Kumbirai Mutiwekuziva.

“I am very glad because when you have the players who you have spent at least a year with, they tend to understand your methods easily.

“They have that institutional memory and I am happy to say that they have all considerably improved in most aspects of their game as compared to the level they were on last season.

“I can say a lot of clubs formally requested to have a number of our players but I would like to thank my team management for making sure that the players remain happy at the club.

“So as we head into the 2024 season, everyone knows what we are aiming for.

“We have senior players who have seen it all in the football trenches and we can’t finish the season empty-handed.”