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‘BIRDS’ NOW UNDER CONTROL!

30/07/2019 01:59:00 BY Lwazi's Pandora's Boxs

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My dearest readers ...

Quickly now, Mbabane Swallows always regard themselves as a unique club on many fronts.

Founded in 1948, the Swallows of Mbabane is not just the country’s oldest team in the current Premier League, but also remains the only club to have had the unfortunate scenario of having two Mbabane Swallows teams turning up for a game against the now defunct Manzini Green Sea Bombers during one fateful day at Somhlolo National Stadium in 1985. The red and white glamour side believes they are a team of FIRSTS.

First team to have a website; first team to reach the group stages of both CAF Confederation Cup (rivals Highlanders did reach it in 1986 under the old format and the price of bread was just E1) and Champions League in two successive years; first club to be ranked in the top 50 clubs in CAF Club rankings; winners of the centenary Mbabane Mayor’s Cup (needless to say it will take Highlanders another 100 years to try and dethrone them, in the year 3 000 and if you are reading this, you won’t be there to see it happen ... hehehehe); winners of the first King’s Cup; winners of the inaugural Ingwenyama Cup (and winning it three times in a row); first team to beat a Zambian opposition team at their own backyard. The list of achievements of this great club, is as long as Psalms.

After weeks of a horror show in the ‘Birds’ nest, which would have made Friday the 13th look like the Big Bang Theory, order has been restored as sanity prevailed with the return of long-serving official Sandile ‘Beyond 2 000’ Zwane as Chief Operations Officer in a management led by former secretary to the Board of Directors Bongani ‘Under Control’ Mamba, who is the chairman of the Interim Management Committee.

Yesterday, true to the Swallows culture of being a team of firsts, the club officials summoned the media to a press conference at the plush, recently opened Hilton Garden Inn. Nevermind that the press briefing was shorter-than-a-G-string, but the pronouncements clearly gave the indication that the club was now UNDER CONTROL, so to speak.

Before the changes in the MC, the situation at Swallows was akin to watching a drunk trying to circumcise himself – the more it went on, the messier it got!

worst

As small monkeys swung on big door hinges, one feared for the worst as the brand built over the years by the dearly departed club chairman Victor ‘Maradona’ Gamedze was being dragged through the mud by people using cheap-writers-by-favour to advance their ulterior motives of keeping their hands on the cookie jar. It was un-Swallows like; it was self-serving and laced with ulterior motives by people who have perfected their lives in running with the hares and hunting with the hounds.

Damn these sponging leeches!
Thanks God, sanity has prevailed. There are still unresolved issues within the high echelons of power in the ‘Birds’ nest, but after yesterday’s press conference one could tell that order had been restored. The signing of former Mbabane Highlanders anchor midfielder, Vusimuzi Zungu, who joins the long-list of those who have crossed the rubicon in the likes of Bright ‘Maradona’ Zondo, Mlungisi ‘Madzala’ Ngubane, Mfanufikile ‘Fash’ Ndzimandze to mention a few, and Vovovo FC most wanted starlet Leon Manyisa (at least as officially announced by the club) is full testimony that once again, Swallows mean business.

Of course, it won’t be easy filling the void left by industrious midfielder Njabulo ‘D4D’ Ndlovu and Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa who have joined South Africa’s National First division side, Mbombela United. It will take time for coach Nyanga ‘Crooks’ Hlophe to come up with a winning combination, but the ‘Birds’ have kept a nucleus of their team and once again, the experience of the club’s most decorated captain, Tony ‘TT’ Tsabedze and Wonder ‘Samba Jive’ Nhleko, at the ripe age of over 30 years, will still keep them going for yet another season.

re-grouping

Swallows re-grouping is good for our football, given the dominance of the security forces teams. With hub giants Manzini Wanderers also having signed as much as nine players, one can only hope finally the maroon and white side can challenge for honours.

Well, as for Mbabane Highlanders, other than PRO Paul ‘Magidzeludzakeni’ Masilela’s rumblings on national radio yesterday, which were unfortunate, one can hope the ‘signings’ continuously being revealed through the media, will form part of the team that will take to the field on August 11 in the EswatiniTelecom Charity Cup. I am not holding my breath though.

Good gracious, if the ‘Big Three’ get their houses in order and you have teams like Moneni Pirates also doing their best to market themselves, we are surely headed to an exciting 2019/20 season. Bring it on, I dare say!