Former Jose Mourinho’s assistant Brito gunning for Zim’s PSL title
Former Jose Mourinho’s assistant coach Baltermar Brito has declared that he is gunning to win the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title with Highlanders in Zimbabwe.
Last season, Brito helped the Bulawayo giants finish in fifth position behind FC Platinum, Chicken Inn, Dynamos and Ngezi Platinum, respectively in the league.
Baltermar Brito took over the club mid-way through the Zimbabwean season from Mandla Mpofu, who was sacked due too poor results.
For him the previous campaign was largely for him to be accustomed to new conditions.
However, the well-travelled gaffer, who has won two UEFA Champions League titles under Jose Mourinho, is more ambitious in what will be his first full season.
The UEFA Pro-coaching license holder wants to break the jinx and help Highlanders win the title which they last won in 2006.
WHAT BALTEMAR BRITO IS PLANNING
Speaking to FARPost, assistant Joel Lupahla outlined Brito’s 2023 targets.
He said: “It’s been long since we won the league. Being Highlanders, there is always that push and pressure to win the league title, and our head coach wants it this season.
“The head coach says, we may be far from what we want the team to be, but we have to meet some of the targets and end the league title drought. The good thing is that we retained the bulk of our team.
“Our targets remain the same but we have a number of factors to consider. However we stick to what our head coach wants us to achieve.”
Methembe Ndlovu was the last coach to win the league title with Highlanders in 2006.
Dutchman Heindrik Pieter de Jongh helped them win the Chibuku Super Cup in 2019, their latest cup title.
“We had a good ending last season but we lost some key and players we had last season. Of course losing key players affects us,” Lupahla added.
“So we can only hope for continuity and hoping to fuse some of the youngsters which we promoted from Bosso90.
“From here, we take a lot positives hoping we take shape. There is still time for us to take shape. It’s a season we have some big things to achieve. We want to be better by continuing from where we left.”
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