Chiukepo revival charms SA club

• Bidvest Wits invite him for trials

Big Bullets hitman Chiukepo Msowoya’s resurgence has not gone unnoticed as South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) outfit Bidvets Wits has invited him for trials through Johannesburg-based Mokgotsi Soccer Networks.

The agency’s managing director Martin Sekadi said in an interview from South Africa yesterday that Wits want the player to be in Johannesburg by tomorrow.

“I had a final meeting with Wits coach Gavin Hunt yesterday [Thursday] and he was very impressed after watching video clips.

“He is excited with the prospect of signing him because Chiukepo is the kind of striker he was looking for—a ruthless finisher sort of. Apparently, there is no much time and Gavin wants him to Jo’burg by Monday because the season here starts on August 8,” said Sekadi.

The agent claimed Chiukepo has 98 percent chances of being offered a contract.

“Gavin was also happy with Chiukepo’s current record. He wants to have a look at him between Tuesday and Thursday and then take it up from there.

“I am hoping that his club [Bullets] can release him as soon as possible so that he can fly over here by Sunday the latest. I have asked their former chairman [Kondi] Msungama to provide me with their officials’ contact numbers so that we can formalise the request,” he added.

Sekadi also said another PSL club Chippa United showed interest to take the player on board, “unfortunately their foreign quota is full and they shelved it to December, but we cannot wait until then when there is a good opening elsewhere”.

Sekadi also said he does not expect any hitches because his client is a free agent.

“His present Malawian club couldn’t meet Chiukepo’s demands so we reached a compromise that he should be offered an open deal whereby if there are any openings, he could be allowed to move on,” said Sekadi who claims to have been managing Chiukepo from the time he went to Mozambique.

Msungama confirmed that when they approached Chiukepo to consider joining Bullets, he demanded K1.5 million ($3000) as signing on fee which the club could not afford then.

“But since we were desperate to have him for the CAF Champions League campaign, we reached an agreement to offer him an open deal and I paid him K400 000 [$800] instead.

“If he signed another permanent deal then it should have been after I left,” said Msungama.

On his part, Chiukepo confirmed that the agreement with Bullets was that they would not stand in his way once he found a foreign club.

“I am aware of the openings in South Africa, I have been briefed by the agent and I am waiting for him to formally communicate with Bullets.

“It is very rare to get such an opportunity these days and I have all the hope that I will make the grade,” he said.

However, Bullets vice-general secretary Kelvin Moyo said as of yesterday, they were yet to get communication from the agent.

“Maybe he has sent it through my colleagues, I will have to find out. As for the agreement we have with the player, it is also something I will have to check with Sulom [Super League of Malawi] and the previous leadership, but we have heard that a number of clubs are interested to sign him,” said Moyo.

Chiukepo has struck a rich vein of form since his return to relaunch his career. He is currently the second leading scorer in the Super League with eight goals, one shy of the leading scorer Innocent Bokosi. He also scored with a beautiful header on his return for the Flames against Uganda on July 6 which the Flames won 1-0 at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.

The match was part of the Independence Anniversary celebrations.