‘BULL’, ‘KOKI’ MARRIAGE ON THE ROCKS - AGAIN

MBABANE – Capital City giants Mbabane Highlanders and head coach Thabo ‘Koki’ Vilakati are on the verge of ‘divorce’.

The Times Sports Desk has learnt that the coach and Director Ally Kgomongwe are having conflicting ideas in as far as managing the team is concerned. Reliable sources within the ‘Black Bull’ have leaked information that the South Africa-born director, who is also a politician, wants ‘Koki’ fired. According to the sources, Kgomongwe has lost faith in Vilakati’s tactics, among other issues, as he feels that the coach has run out of ideas to lead the team for positive results and he thought it was time they hired a new coach.

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“The director is currently in search of a new coach to replace ‘Koki’. He should have long fired the coach but there is a section of senior officials who are against the idea of firing the coach and are still negotiating terms with the director for Vilakati to stay. However, the director seems determined to fire Vilakati,” confided a source. It has also transpired that the director is unhappy over the manner in which Vilakati treats some of the players which include the South African duo of Josef Lekata and Patrick ‘Nandos’ Mashele, as well as Mlamuli ‘Mlaba’ Nkambule.

These players form part of the players which this publication reported the coach had put on transfer, but the director reversed the decision. Drawn for comment on the latest development, Kgomongwe conceded that he was not entirely happy with some of the coach’s decisions. He cited this past weekend’s incident at Somhlolo National Stadium during the quarter-finals of the Ingwenyama Cup where Highlanders beat First Division outfit Madlenya 1-0 to progress to the semi-finals. The director went to the dressing rooms during half-time for a quick chat with the technical team and players after an unsatisfactory display in the first half that ended in a goalless stalemate.

Kgomongwe then asked not to discuss the issue of the coach for now. However, sources confided that Vilakati did not want to field Sabelo ‘Sawa’ Gamedze and Phumlani Ngwenya and their introduction in the second half was a forced decision by Kgomongwe in the dressing rooms. ‘Sawa’ eventually scored the winning goal to transport the capital giants to the semi-finals. Information gathered is to the effect that the coach and director also clashed over new transfers for expatriate players who were to join the team this January. Vilakati was also drawn for comment and politely asked not to comment on the matter. 

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