Are Hardrock outmuscling Scottland in the transfer market?
The general consensus among many football-loving Zimbabweans is that Scottland can and will sign any player they want.
The defending champions -owned by gold mogul and Mabvuku legislator Pedzai ‘Scott’ Sakupwanya, have for the last couple of years been ‘every local player’s ultimate destination’, due to their reported huge signing-on fees, good salaries as well as winning bonuses.
Many, if not most football stakeholders, believed that Scottland players are most well-taken of in the league.
Mabviravira managed to lure former Warriors captain Knowledge Musona, former Kaizer Chiefs talisman Khama Billiat, former Orlando Pirates striker Terrence Dzvukamanja, among others.
The belief among many football stakeholders was that if Scottland came calling, no player would say no.
HARDROCK FIRST BEAT SCOTTLAND ON GERALD TAKWARA
But things appear to have changed in that context, and the complexion of the transfer market has drastically changed. Scottland wanted to sign Warriors defender Gerald Takwara, but they lost him to ambitious Premiership debutants Hardrock.
The Mabvuku-based side also, according to reports, wanted to sign Warriors hotshot Prince Dube after his stay in Tanzanian ended, but Hardrock beat them to the signature of the former Highlanders talisman.
Scottland also made inquiries on the possible acquisition of gifted midfielder Mongameli Tshuma, when it became known that Highlanders wanted to cash in on him.
A well-placed source told Fanzone that there was a certain weekend when Tshuma was spotted in Harare, and Scottland made an offer to the Warriors star before formally approaching Bosso, but nothing materialized.
Instead, Tshuma is now officially a Hardrock player, after the Kasongo Boys paid a reported US$200 000 transfer fee to Bosso, though they have loaned him back to the Bulawayo giants for the rest of the season.
SHEPHERD CHAHWANDA HAS RAISED STAKES IN PSL, CHALLENGING SCOTTLAND’S DOMINANCE ON THE TRANSFER MARKET
The man behind Hardrock FC, Shepherd Chahwanda along with ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi at Chahwanda Stadium. Picture by Hardrock FC
Hardrock chairman Wellington Mpandare confirmed to journalists just after the Chibuku Super Cup draw, that Tshuma is now a Hardrock player.
“Yes, he is a Hardrock player but for now, as has been written and is all over social media we cannot talk much about it for now,” said Mpandare.
“We don’t want to distract the player because he is still playing for Highlanders. We will only talk about Monga when he joins Highlanders during pre-season. We are going to sign more players and we will shock the world,” declared Mpandare.
How has Hardrock managed to outmaneuver Scottland? The Kwekwe-based outfit have an equally financially capable owner. Gold tycoon Shepherd Chahwanda is the owner of the club, as well as the magnificent stadium in Kwekwe named after him.
Chahwanda, affectionately known in the mining town of Kwekwe as ‘Magodora’, has invested millions of dollars into the Hardrock project, which is slowly taking shape if assembling a competitive squad is anything to go by.
Besides challenging Scottland in the transfer market, Hardrock are also challenging Norman Mapeza’s charges for the 2026 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title.
Only two points separate the two sides after 26 rounds of fixtures, with Scottland leading the race, having amassed 53 points.
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