Going for the Title.. …..
The 2018 season will mark as the second anniversary of top flight football for ambitious Ndola based side in Buildcon.
Season one especially to first time entrants in top flight football is usually about surviving relegation. But Buildcon had other plans. Did they surprise anyone with their stability in their first season? Avid football followers would say that with the business they had in 2017 season in terms of player recruitment. They looked like a team that had roots entrenched firmly in the Zambian Super League for many years. They played the opening year in premier league with aplomb! And deserves a huge mention in the Zambia football no doubt about that.
Are they ready for the second season?
They set the bar way high in 2017 for themselves. And they have followed that standard, a notch higher once more.
Expectations are that they probably are not just targeting top four finish this season but going for the jugular vein and choke the likes of defending champions Zesco United, Zanaco FC, Nkana FC etc. It’s the league title on the mindset but the club will be cautious to speak up a little too early but the trading places they have gone to speaks volumes.
They have smashed their transfer record from last season and what am impressed with is the selection of players that the team has put together.
The Kopala team made a surprise signing of Chisamba Lungu, a seasoned campaigner both at club level in Russia and an AFCON Gold medalist for the Zambia National Team. Above that they are giving the Zambian fans a chance to have a look at the midfielder who left the country early in his career. He joins them fromm Europe and perhaps the ever improving Isaac Shamujompa will also be a player that will help balance the Zambian connection at the club.
It’s not just these two, Buildcon crossed the border and snatched Zimbabwes had working boys in Patson Jaure who has a deadly left foot especially on set pieces, young Zimbabwean goalkeeper in Tatenda Makuruva, Devon Chafa and Nqobizitha Masuku. These were on demand players in their country for their respective clubs for Buildcon to woo them shows how serious the club is.
Brian Mwila a revelation in recent times is another signee that the club mean business, they snatched him and has already exerted his presence at Buildcon and already creating a selection headache for coach Arena Gugliermo. But that can only be a good sign for the gaffer going forward. Coaches need headaches in team choice.
21 year old centre back in Burkinabe Emmanuel David Gora is one such play to watch. A potential money spinner for the club in the near future especially in Europe.
From the former Gold Coast now Ghana they got Rahim Osman and to complete the West African contigent there comes in Ben Adamu from Ivory Coast.
From East Africa’s Uganda in comes Fahad Bayo.
The club President insists the club is now in a position to compete with the likes of Zesco United and Zanaco in the forth coming season but doesn’t forget to say one thing. “We shall keep learning.”
And a sympathiser of Buildcon who has been following the activities at the club from a distance says the team is getting the right players no matter the price tag.
“When the player is the right player it is not important how expensive he is. He needs to fit in the team, that’s why I think Buildcon paid the price for Chisamba Lungu,” Mr Evans Daka, referring to the signing of Chisamba Lungu , told Soka25east .
Another scribe in Puncherello Chama says the team looks ready
“This club will do what they have to do. The owners are ready for that as you can see in their planning .” Punch said
“It’s all about timing, doing the right thing at the right moment. If the player is the right player, Buildcon will pay big money. If it’s not the right player, it’s not the value of the player. But to say the least am impressed with the team. ” Punch stated.
Buildcon can leapfrog a number of teams this season and break into the top four and that also will depend on how they focus and already they have a big test in the first five games of the 2018 season.
Buildcon play, Zesco United, Nkana and Zanaco in the first five games of the league. It can only get better. As a matter of fact it gives the chance to announce their intent starting against the big boys having recruited big boys.
The die is cast and Soka25east talked to the President on Sunday who confirmed the team had finished the pre season training . According to the news received, Buildcon played 7 preseason matches winning 5 and drawing 2.
From the neutral point of view, Buildcon is ready and anything outside the top four will be a big disappointment for the team and the sponsor. They have done as much as they can to push themselves into the title race.
BUILDCON ARE READY FOR THIS SEASON.
