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KOKI SET TO WALK THE PLANK

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MBABANE – Mbabane Swallows head coach Thabo Vilakati is living on borrowed time at the Birds nest.


The club management held a five hour crisis meeting last night in which they punched holes in the team performance. They will be meeting Vilakati today where they will enquire about team performance report before calling a press conference later in the afternoon.

The Times Sports Desk has it in good authority that a decision on imminent changes within the team technical bench has been taken. But none of the officials were willing to be on record when contacted last night. They all pleaded with this newspaper to wait for today’s press conference.
According to a source ‘Koki’s days at the club are numbered.


Koki’ ditched Green Mamba to replace Nyanga ‘Crooks’ Hlophe at the ‘Beautiful Birds’ in January 2016.
“The loss to Manzini Sundowns was the last straw. The management felt it was time to relieve ‘Koki’ of his duties. He has been a good coach but things are not working out any more,” alleged the source. The source further asserted that the former Green Mamba coach was not in good terms with management after he lost the confidence of the players.


“The players did not believe in him anymore and that is why the results were not forthcoming. It all started when he put players on transfer when clearly the players were still interested in playing for the team. He failed to bring in new players, who could fill the void left by those on transfer,” alleged another source.
It was further disclosed that the management had long relieved ‘Koki’ of his duties but there was a certain faction among the management who still believed he was the right man for the job.


Another source further alleged that he would not be part of the technical bench when the ‘Birds’ face Young Movers in the Ingwenyama Cup on Sunday. The Sports Desk was made to understand that the assistant coach Musa Manyatsi would be in charge while the team searches for his replacement.
When reached for comment, Vilakati said he could not comment based on hearsay.


“I can only comment if I get an official word from the team’s General Manager Sandile Zwane. Right now I cannot comment,” Vilakati said.
Meanwhile, the team’s PRO Jackson Dlamini declined to comment on the latest development saying he was waiting a word from his superiors.
The team’s General Manager Sandile ‘Beyond 2000’ Zwane said he could only comment after the meeting which was scheduled for 5pm.
“I am from Mozambique and I just received a message from the management notifying me about a meeting at 5pm. I can only comment after the meeting,” Zwane said.


Vilakati joined Swallows in January 2016 and has guided the capital giants to two consecutive league titles. He has also successfully defended the Ingwenyama Cup on three occasions. He also won the SwaziBank, SwaziTelecom Charity Cup twice, Castle Premier Challenge and King’s Cup.

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