Coach Tonderai Ndiraya has hailed foreign players for injecting a breath of fresh air and a new dimension into Chicken Inn FC — transforming them into a force that is unpredictable.
The Gamecocks have two Cameroonians, midfielder Ngnowa Hapmo and Manykre Dangmo, Congolese defender Sefu Louisom, Malawian centre-forward Rahim Binwell Katinji, Namibian defender Tryrese Devante Waungua, and midfielder Francis Mostafa from Burundi, completing the list of foreigners on their roster.
However, the influx of foreign talent is not only unique to The Gamecocks – with teams like Dynamos FC, Hardrock FC, Scottland FC, Highlanders FC, Caps United, Simba Bhora, Ngezi Platinum Stars, FC Platinum, and MWOS FC also reaping the benefits of top-performing foreigners.
Malawi and Simba Bhora FC goalkeeper William Thole has been a top performer in the PSL. Picture by Simba Bhora/Facebook
On the top scorers chart, Dynamos’ Ghanaian import Frank Agyemang has proven to be a force with three goals in six matches, while Malawian William Thole has been a cut above the rest in the goalkeeping department. He has five clean sheets in six matches.
NDIRAYA: ‘I THINK IT IMPROVES OUR LEAGUE’
As such, Ndiraya believes the influx of foreigners is improving the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League. The former Dynamos gaffer said: “I think it improves our league, it improves our league. We’ve got quite a number of them, I think five in total, maybe six.
“But I think all those that we have brought in are really doing well for us. David scored, I think he’s also getting the fitness that he really needs. He was full of energy the whole game.
“And then, of course, we had Tyrese, the Namibian, who was playing our left back. I think he also played very well. I think this is his second start now, second or third. In the matches that he has started, he has given us so much.
“Then, of course, the man who orchestrated the second goal, Sefu Louisom, the right back, he’s a Congolese. I think he has some quality in him, you can see by the way he was overlapping on the right.”
The two-time PSL title winner said the six foreign players in his squad have breathed a new energy into their team which lacked last season.
“Particularly in our team, the foreigners are really giving us what we didn’t have, what the team didn’t have last year. So, it has really improved the team because of their presence,” he added.
“We are not really pushovers, we are also a strong team, we are getting stronger with each game. Then, of course, foreigners in general, it’s good for the league, we are now attracting foreigners.”
Namibian star Moses Shidolo has been having a blinder of a season at Scottland FC. Picture by Scottland FC/Facebook
THEY EARN BETTER IN ZIMBABWE NDIRAYA REVEALS
Ndiraya added that some are earning better than what they would get back home. He added: “Some may question the quality of the foreigners that are coming here, but if you compare the money that is paid here and in other countries.
“For example in Namibia, I think we are paying far more than what the Namibian Premier League is paying. That’s why we are also attracting quite a number of foreigners here.”
RELATED STORY: Ndiraya’s heart bleeds for his beloved Dynamos
