Pfumbidzai pays tribute to Jere:
RONALD PFUMBIDZAI saluted his club president Farai Jere on Sunday on the eve of his departure to South Africa where he will join Premiership side on a three-year deal.
The roving star was scheduled to leave the country yesterday for South Africa.
He watched Dynamos beat Yadah Stars at Rufaro on Sunday and paid glowing tribute to CAPS United boss Jere for the role he played in moulding him.
“The president was everything to me, someone who played a big role in what is happening in my life and I owe a lot to him,’’ said Pfumbidzai.
“When you are a young player like me, you need a leader who is like a father figure who tells you where you are getting it wrong and who loves you like his son and that is what he was to me.
“I owe him a lot and without his support I don’t think I would be where I am today.’’
The 22-year-old’s agent Mike Ngobeni has since confirmed his client has inked a three-year deal with Siwelele.
“It’s a done deal,” says Ngobeni. “He has signed a threeyear deal.”
But Pfumbidzai’s move to Celtic was engineered by former Zimbabwean internationals Butler Masango and Tinashe Nengomasha, who are now both based in Johannesburg.
Masango and Nengomasha confirmed to The Herald yesterday that they were behind the player’s move to the Bloemfontein-based side which used to be the home of another former Zimbabwe international star striker George Nechironga.
Yadah Stars striker Roderick Mutuma also had a brief flirtation with Celtic before he was off-loaded back to Zimbabwe.
“Yes, we first engineered 100 percent Pfumbidzai’s trial with Bloemfontein Celtic when Tinashe (Nengomasha) spoke to his fellow COSAFA Castle Cup ambassador Lehlohonolo Seema, who is also Celtic’s assistant coach and that’s when I approached the player and he told me that he has an agent and I spoke to the agent; and that is when the player came for trials during pre-season in July.
“Even his invitation letter (for the trials) was sent to us by the club’s CEO Khumbulani Konco,” said Masango yesterday from Johannesburg, where he is now running a soccer academy.
Nengomasha added: “I watched Ronald Pfumbidzai playing for CAPS United in this year’s Champions League and I saw something special in him. And that’s when I decided to recommend him to Bleomfontein Celtic.
“And I’m glad to say that we were successful in bringing him to South Africa.
“I’m confident that he will do well, but he needs all the support we can give him because we already know how it is to play in a foreign country like South Africa.
“We will try to give him all the advice he needs on a daily basis because we want him to write his own success story at Bloemfontein Celtic and who knows, he might again attract a big European club in the future.
“What we are basically interested in is the welfare of the player and not the monetary side of the deal because a number of so-called football agents tend to dump players when things don’t go well for them and they (the players) end up being frustrated and homesick.
“We want to make sure that this does not happen to Ronald.
“We are really determined to see him making a big impact at his new club here in South Africa.”
Nengomasha and Masango both played for South African soccer giants Kaizer Chiefs before they hung up their boots.
Nengomasha was also behind the signing of fellow Zimbabwean players — Knowledge Musona, Willard Katsande and Thomas Sweswe — at Chiefs while Masango has produced some talented young South African players such as Emmanuel Lethlotho (Kaizer Chiefs), Nana Akosah (Cape Town City), Tholang Lwana (Free State Stars) and many more who are now playing in that country’s Premiership reserve sides and academies.
Celtic have added quite a number of players to their roster, including Roggert Nyundu, Jacky Motshegwa, Ndumiso Mabena and Lucky Baloyi.
Pfumbidzai played his last game for CAPS United in the 2-1 win over Black Rhinos last Wednesday and Makepekepe are likely to feel the impact of his departure when they face old enemies Dynamos at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday. — Sports Reporter/ Kick-Off.