By ZINGISA MVUMVU
NFD side Mthatha Bucks will remain in their home base of Mthatha for the 2016-17 campaign.
This was confirmed at the club’s announcement of its new signings yesterday. After a disastrous maiden season in the second tier last year, which was marred by a lack of scoring for the Mthatha outfit, they have since beefed up their attack, with all four signings playing attacking positions.
Bucks are so serious about improving their offensive play that they even went abroad to Zambia for the signature of striker Kangwa Chilesha.
The other additions to the Bucks squad are Sydney Masana, who is also a forward from the troubled Free State Stars, winger Moeketsi Ralenkoane and midfielder Mazwi Mncube, who are from Thanda Royal Zulu.
“Amathol’amnyama” have managed to retain 75% of their core squad from last season, said COO Lunga Tukute.
Among those retained is prolific striker Petrus Ngebo, whose stay will excite the club’s supporters after he saved them from the lion’s mouth last season.
Former Bafana Bafana goal poacher Ngebo scored crucial goals for Bucks during their battle to avoid relegation in the final stages of last season.
Tukute said there could not be a clearer sign that they were serious about the upcoming campaign, than their securing of the much sought-after, goal-hungry Ngebo.
Mashale Rantabane, Bafana Dlamini, Mlungisi Maranti, Ayanda Klaas and Thabiso Mokoena are also among those staying put at Bucks for the upcoming league campaign.
Tukute said they were not done yet, as they were still busy looking for a goalkeeper, two centre-backs and a holding midfielder.
“We have one vision only for the upcoming season and it is to compete for promotion, be it automatic or via the playoffs,” said Tukute.
“We are confident that the four players and the rest of their colleagues will contribute towards the club achieving that vision.
“We will also be adding more players as we strive to avoid being in the same situation as we were in the previous season, when we were fighting relegation,” Tukute said.
Bucks mean business – so much so that their pre-season preparations are at an advanced stage already, after having returned from a camp in Pietermaritzburg last week, where they played three warm-up matches.
They are headed for Manguang this weekend, where they have scheduled friendlies with Bloemfontein Celtic and Royal Eagles.
Tukute said they had learnt their lesson from their past mistake of signing a host of PSL rejects.
“Now we want more experienced players who have campaigned at this level but are still hungry to achieve more,” an optimistic Tukute said. — zingisam@
dispatch.co.za
Bucks on offensive with new blood
NFD side Mthatha Bucks will remain in their home base of Mthatha for the 2016-17 campaign.
This was confirmed at the club’s announcement of its new signings yesterday. After a disastrous maiden season in the second tier last year, which was marred by a lack of scoring for the Mthatha outfit, they have since beefed up their attack, with all four signings playing attacking positions.
Bucks are so serious about improving their offensive play that they even went abroad to Zambia for the signature of striker Kangwa Chilesha.
The other additions to the Bucks squad are Sydney Masana, who is also a forward from the troubled Free State Stars, winger Moeketsi Ralenkoane and midfielder Mazwi Mncube, who are from Thanda Royal Zulu.
“Amathol’amnyama” have managed to retain 75% of their core squad from last season, said COO Lunga Tukute.
Among those retained is prolific striker Petrus Ngebo, whose stay will excite the club’s supporters after he saved them from the lion’s mouth last season.
Former Bafana Bafana goal poacher Ngebo scored crucial goals for Bucks during their battle to avoid relegation in the final stages of last season.
Tukute said there could not be a clearer sign that they were serious about the upcoming campaign, than their securing of the much sought-after, goal-hungry Ngebo.
Mashale Rantabane, Bafana Dlamini, Mlungisi Maranti, Ayanda Klaas and Thabiso Mokoena are also among those staying put at Bucks for the upcoming league campaign.
Tukute said they were not done yet, as they were still busy looking for a goalkeeper, two centre-backs and a holding midfielder.
“We have one vision only for the upcoming season and it is to compete for promotion, be it automatic or via the playoffs,” said Tukute.
“We are confident that the four players and the rest of their colleagues will contribute towards the club achieving that vision.
“We will also be adding more players as we strive to avoid being in the same situation as we were in the previous season, when we were fighting relegation,” Tukute said.
Bucks mean business – so much so that their pre-season preparations are at an advanced stage already, after having returned from a camp in Pietermaritzburg last week, where they played three warm-up matches.
They are headed for Manguang this weekend, where they have scheduled friendlies with Bloemfontein Celtic and Royal Eagles.
Tukute said they had learnt their lesson from their past mistake of signing a host of PSL rejects.
“Now we want more experienced players who have campaigned at this level but are still hungry to achieve more,” an optimistic Tukute said. — zingisam@
dispatch.co.za
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