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A REMARKABLE SEASON TO REMEMBER!

24/05/2019 03:50:00 BY LWAZI DLAMINI

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You learn more from defeats than you do from victories.” This is not me saying it but the best manager of his generation, former Manchester United gaffer Sir Alex Ferguson.

This is one of the mine-field of quotable quotes in his must-read autobiography, ‘Learning from Life and My years at Manchester United’, which needless to say, I am currently reading. It is perhaps, just the right kind of motivation, the eight teams who finished on the bottom rung of the 2018/19 MTN League log need right now including the relegated Vovovo FC and Mbabane Citizens.

From Malanti Chiefs Burundian international Papy Faty’s tragedy, which shocked the football world, on April 25, to Manzini Wanderers’ prolonged dance with demotion and right up to Mbabane Citizens with two games to go after losing half of the season’s games – 13, the season has been remarkable and exciting in equal measure.

Sports Editor Lwazi Dlamini analyses the bottom eight teams after a remarkable season which for the first time in a long time, truly reflected the strength, resources and proficiency of the teams as per the log standings.

MATSAPHA UNITED:

Call it a season of two halves if you can! A difficult start — six points in the whole first round - during which relegation seemed more of a certainty was followed by a master-class in management from team director Scorpion Nxumalo, which saw the club finish in seventh position - above Malanti Chiefs, Moneni Pirates, Manzini Wanderers and Manzini Sundowns. Losing only two games in the second round to Mbabane Highlanders and Young Buffaloes and collecting 24 points including three points gained in the boardroom following the infamous towel ‘war’ at Mhlume’s Nsukuwansuku against Royal Leopard, was the stuff of legends from Lubombo-based outfit.

Player of the season: Emmanuel Nsiah: The Ghanaian, signed in January, proved to be as lethal as a bottle of acid, tearing apart many opposition defences and scoring vital goals as ‘Bogandaganda’ started ‘cranking’ on their way to a credible seventh log position.

Best signing: Emmanuel Nsiah: When the club released striker John Mensah for a reported E40 000 clearance fee, it looked like a bad move but in bringing in Nsiah they literally ‘bought’ themselves another season in the Premier League. He has been a revelation.
The Good: The Premier League rookies made the Mhlume Stadium their fortress where many teams came back with nothing or just a single point in the league. A crocodile indeed is strong at its base.

The Bad: Failing to change their status to Mhlume Peacemakers and trading under the name of Matsapha United created a lot of problems for them – on many fronts. They not only lacked identity – warming up with Mhlume Peacemakers emblazoned shirts and playing with Matsapha United kits – but they did not win themselves a lot of admirers, needless to say for obvious reasons!

The Ugly: The infamous towel ‘war’ at Mhlume Stadium was the ugliest spat of the season where shamefully a sanctioned fixture had to be called off when a Leopard fan removed a towel belonging to goalkeeper Innocent Adja.

MALANTI CHIEFS

If you were drawing a diagram of the Malanti Chiefs, it would be in the shape of a valley – a bright start, then a deep dip before another rise towards the end of the campaign. Things haven’t always gone to plan and the tragic death of Burundian international Papy Faty left a sour taste in the mouth. This will always be remembered as the season Malanti Chiefs made headlines all over the world for the wrong reasons.

Player of the season: Sandile Mazibuko. His seven goals this season helped Malanti Chiefs stave off relegation worries and even reached the semi-finals of the Ingwenyama Cup where they lost 2-0 to Mbabane Highlanders.

Best signing: Katinji Binwell. The Malawian import came in and added a biting feel to the Pigg’s Peak-based side’s attacking forays. He is the one to watch even next season.

The Good: Hosting games at their own backyard, Killarney Sports Ground, saw an impressive turnout to their games.
The Bad: The conspicuous absence of team Director Dumsani Gumede was evident as the team struggled for form the whole season. Gumede was a bit distant to his team in the past season and it showed.

The Ugly: The Papy Faty registration scandal and tragic loss. It is still a mystery how Malanti Chiefs got to register a player who was released by Bidvest Wits because of his heart failure condition. It is the biggest scandal to visit local football ever.

MONENI PIRATES

The lovable but chronically bumbling Moneni Buccaneers had a season to forget. Unstable management which saw the morale of the players at its lowest ebb ever culminated to a wrenched season even by their not-so-great standards.
Player of the season: Menzi ‘Magawugawu’ Simelane. Ever present, ever reliable. The captain, playing his 10th season as a Pirates player, led by example.
Best signing: Mpucuko Dlamini. Deemed surplus to requirements at Mbabane Highlanders, ‘Smoothies’ proved to be a good signing for the Moneni Buccaneers.

The Good: The 2-0 win over city rivals Manzini Wanderers and finishing above the ‘Weslians’ must rank as the highlight of their otherwise average if not poor season. The celebrations after the win over Wanderers at Mavuso Sports Centre on February 16 when the passionate club supporters sang ‘Sikuva ngendzaba ye-Weseli kantsi umnandzi kangaka’ will linger in the minds of those who witnessed the unbridled joy for years to come.

The Bad: Management-by-crisis at Pirates undermined their season and potential. If not sorted out, another wrenched season awaits the pride of Moneni.
The Ugly: Players downing tools after unpaid salaries for several months clearly proved that the Moneni Buccaneers were thriving on their own Three C’s like the slay queens. The Slay Queens thrive on Cash, Cars and Cellphones while Pirates flourished on Chaos, Crisis and Confusion.

MANZINI WANDERERS

The country’s arguably most supported side was like a yoyo. That the season went down, briefly up, and then catastrophically down again, only served to expose the inadequacies of this Wanderers squad and the club as a whole. The in-fighting and drawn-out taking over of Director Mehluli Nhlengetfwa did not help matters. Where do Wanderers go from here after a prolonged dance with demotion?

The only way is up but it would need unity within the cub’s corridors of power, more investment in quality players and Nhlengetfwa being given carte-blanche to instil his own ideas and management style with people he can trust with his own life.

Not the back-stabbers who are always lurking by waiting for him to fail.
Player of the season: Sicelo Mkhonta. The workaholic defender had a good season and was rewarded with the captain’s arm-band. He has really grown in stature especially in the absence of the ageing Lwazi ‘Shana’ Maziya, who spent more time on the treatment table than on the pitch.

Best signing: Sifiso Maseko. His two goals against Mbabane Swallows in the famous 2-0 win on January 27 underlined his prowess as an overlapping defender and a player who has an eye for goal.

The Good: Loyal supporters. In spite of the fact that the maroon and white side last won the league title in the 2000-01 season or anything shiny in the form of silverware since the Eswatini Telecom Charity Cup in 2005, their fans continue to turn up in the stadium in droves. It takes something special to be as loyal to a team that has not won anything since the price of bread was E4.

The Bad: The dilly-dallying in handing over the reins to Director Mehluli Nhlengetfwa by the team directors was too bad. Nhlengetfwa came in and splashed the cash in signing new players and has proven, given more time, he can steady the ship to calmer waters. Then of course 13 losses in 26 games is the same record of basement club Mbabane Citizen!

The Ugly: A member of the technical team who was suspected to have ‘bewitched’ the team as a rogue linked to the battle for the soul of the team was truly disheartening. If you claim to love the club so much, why would you want to see it lose a game? What an idiot!

MANZINI SUNDOWNS

Very bad start, fairly good end. ‘Basop IKappa Kappa’s inconsistent performances especially in the first round undermined their season. One game they would dish out a heart-warming performance, the next will be followed by a powder puff performance that was pure relegation form.
Player of the season: Reagan Kangumbu. He was the mainstay in the heart of Sundowns’ midfield with heart-warming performances. One of the best grafters in the Premier League in the past season.

Best signing: Sibonginkhosi Dlamini. The left footed player-maker has added another dimension to Sundowns’ attacking forays. His confidence on the ball is amazing.
The Good: The form of goalkeeper Lwethu Simelane, on his day, makes him one of the best products of the club’s development programme. However, this season conceding a massive 34 goals clearly shows the Sundowns defence had more holes than Swiss cheese.
The Bad: Eleven losses and nine draws, is uncharacteristic of Manzini Sundowns. On that score, a complete overhaul is needed going forward. Nobody knows this better than chairman, Mark Carmichael who was also a bit distant to the club due to business commitments.
The Ugly: The ever-revolving coaching door. Sundowns had almost the same number of coaches as their wins this season – SIX. Coupled with the changes in the Management Committee it was a recipe for disaster as there was no stability in the team. There were so many changes in the technical bench it was difficult to catch up at times! Playing coaching musical chairs, Sundowns? Basop i-relegation!

TAMBUTI FC:

A bizarre season, really. Starting off poorly with two losses in the opening four games before shocking Manzini Wanderers with a 3-1 defeat at Mavuso Sports Centre on October 20, should have given indication how their season would pen out. Malian coach Alou Badara was struggling to get the team to stay afloat and when the January window period came, he lost his captain and thereafter it was downhill until coach Terasayi Changara joined from Moneni Pirates to somehow perform a Herculean escape.
Player of the season: Nelson Myeni. He was instrumental in a struggling Tambuti side playing in little islands of endeavour and without co-ordination.
Best signing: Addy Paa Kwesi. He came in and helped give the striking force some cutting edge.
The Good: The resurgence under Terasayi Changara.
The Bad: The shambolic performances under Alou Badara and selling captain Mpendulo Ngidi to Manzini Wanderers.
The Ugly: Twelve losses, eight draws, 20 goals scored, 30 conceded in any language is pure relegation form. They only stayed up because Vovovo FC and Mbabane Citizens were worse off.

VOVOVO FC

Without a win in the opening four games and only two points collected out of a possible 12 seem to foretell Vovovo FC’s fate. Having lost coach Caleb Ngwenya to Green Mamba after an impressive maiden season only meant swimming against the tide.
Player of the season: Leon Manyisa. The youngster’s performance even earned him a national team call-up and an interest from overseas.
Best signing: Tekwa Soto. He shone brightly like a pearl in a heap of dung.
The Good: The shock 1-0 win over Mbabane Swallows on October 20, 2018, when Mancoba Mavimbela scored the all important winner 10 minutes into the second half is the only good they can take on a nightmarish season, which culminated with the drop from the Premier League.
The Bad: Coach Gcina ‘Magiyane’ Dlamini being left cold in the stands each time they faced Green Mamba was a sorry sight and adds fuel to the nauseating security forces teams debate.
The Ugly: The stabbing incident involving the club director was a blot on their copy book.

MBABANE CITIZENS

From the first game, which had to be abandoned in the 54th minute on September 26, 2018 as they trailed Moneni Pirates 2-0 after failing to register enough players to form a team, their fate was sealed. A miserable campaign that even managed to sap the enthusiasm of the eternally-optimistic club director Bheki ‘Rubber’ Simelane ended with 13 losses; 11 draws, almost half a century goals conceded (49) and a measly 17 scored. Too bad to stay in the elite league clearly for the Premier League rookies.
Player of the season: Sandile ‘Onyango’ Dlamini. He might have conceded a massive 49 goals, the highest in the league, but he had some brilliant performances trying to assist a porous-as-sieve defence.
Best signing: Hahahahahahaha...........
The Good: One of the best dressed teams in the league. If the league was a fashion show, Citizens would be in the top four bracket.
The Bad: The fixture list! They played experienced sides in the opening six matches, gained two points and only recorded their first win against Manzini Sea Birds on WEEK 7 – a 2-0 win on October 28, at Mhlume Stadium.
The Ugly: Turning up with seven players in the opening match in the Premier League as newcomers proved to be a bad omen in every sense of the word. It might well be said they just did not turn up this past season!