Nico clings to deadly striker

CHIPPA LEGODIMO
Correspondent | Wednesday June 25, 2008 00:00

The Zimbabwean hotshot tied with Mochudi Centre Chief's Jerome Ramatlhakwana with 18 goals at the end of last season.

Nico public relations officer Etlhomilwe Raditshego told Mmegi Sport that they are aware of Premier League clubs' interest in Masitara. 'We are aware that a lot of clubs especially in Gaborone are interested in him and we really expected this after such a good season. But I want to make it clear that he is not going anywhere. So those who have been targeting him should rather focus elsewhere because he is not for sale,' Raditshego said sternly.

The Majombolo spokesperson said that there was no need for the striker to move to another local club because it would not benefit his career in anyway. 'All the teams in the Premier League are almost the same and there is no point of moving from one to another. Why should we release him just because someone else has promised him an extra P200? We will give him that P200 if anyone promises to give him the amount. But we will definitely release him if any South African team for instance wants to sign him because from here, we believe it will benefit him if he moves to a better league which is run professionally,' Raditshego said.

Masitara's exploits in the just-ended season is reported to have attracted big guns like Gaborone United and Township Rollers. Lobatse side BMC are also reported to be interested in luring the lethal striker to their kraal after avoiding relegation by a whisker. Raditshego said that recent reports that the future of former Zimbabwean international Madinda Ndlovu as Nico coach is uncertain were a ploy by some individuals who wanted to destabilise the club. 'We are back at training and Madinda is staying put. Our contract with him runs until June 2009 but the conditions are negotiable and renewable every 12 months and we have already looked at the conditions with him and he is happy,' Raditshego said.

However, he said that they are ready to release Ndlovu if he wants to leave. 'It is not our policy to stand in the coach or players' way if they receive better offers that we cannot match. But after all the support that he got from management and the encouragement after helping the team to a top four finish, I do not see him leaving. Besides, he has never told us that he wants to leave. We only saw such reports in the newspapers,' Raditshego said.  Ndlovu had a slow start at Nico and few gave him a chance but management stuck with him all the way. This is despite the fact that fans were getting impatient with the Zimbabwean coach. But in the end he managed to help the team to their best ever finish in the league after a period in the relegation zone.