TOP ZIM COACHES, SA’S LUVHENGO FOR WANDERERS

MBABANE – No coaching vacancy has been advertised but Manzini Wanderers already have some job seekers’ letters and curriculum vitaes (CVs).

They just finished the season last Sunday with a 2-2 draw against Green Mamba after coming from behind, they were led by coaches Velekhaya Mthethwa and Terisayi Changara. It was established at least four games before they ended their season that top Zimbabwean coaches showed interest in the team and these are former Zimbabwe senior national team coach Mandla Mpofu, whose interest is not new to Wanderers and his countryman in former Caps United coach last year Darlington Dodo. The latter was also at some point briefly hired by Denver Sundowns but is now one of the individuals Wanderers are said to have also spoken to. He had signed a two-year deal with Sundowns and possesses CAF Licence A.

Despite the Zimbabwean duo, South Africa’s former National Under-20 coach Solly Luvhengo is also linked with the job. It is an open secret that Mthethwa and Changara had up to end of the season contracts that were renewable if their work was found to have been satisfactory. Wanderers’ Public Relations Officer (PRO) and Acting Management Committee (MC) Chairman Mlungisi ‘Mluga’ Ndzinisa affirmed on Monday morning and again yesterday that they were yet to sit and review the technical bench’s reports. “We can’t deny that there are coaches who have always followed us and the fact that they have shown interest in working for this great club shows we’re doing something right. We currently have coaches in the club but we’ll review reports that will show us the direction going forward, especially because we’ll only break for three weeks and start preparing for the Bible Society Cup and the new season altogether,” Ndzinisa said.

He said while they had seen the aforementioned coaches’ applications and spoken to some of them, he could not at the moment say which direction the club would be taking as they just played their last match and achieved the sixth spot which became a target after the top four and fifth spots evaded them. “We’re at work and our aim is that at least in three weeks we must have unveiled our new players and also our playing kits for next season. We want these players available in the Bible Society Cup as well as our new kits,” Ndzinisa said. He conceded however, that the club did not run any coach vacancy advert, adding that some of these coaches knew the local game, especially Dodo who had worked with Sundowns before around 2018. It is only early last month that Ndzinisa was quoted by this publication saying there would be changes in the club next season in all departments from the management down to personnel and supporters.

However, he did not say exactly who would be replaced but impeccable sources have pointed to the technical bench becoming the first to leave with a few players, while there will be five to six incomings, some of them have already put pen to paper. At least two of the players are with two of the relegated teams, Milling Hot Spurs and Tinyosi. Meanwhile, coach Velekhaya did not respond to questions by this newspaper as sent to him on his WhatsApp and did not answer his cellphone when called.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: