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GREEN MAMBA’S ERNEST SETS NEW WIN RECORD

17/03/2023 08:18:00 Chris Dlamini

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MBABANE – “Someone decided overnight that they had better resources to win matches.”

This was a recent statement by soft-spoken Green Mamba coach Ernest Mavuso, whose work as a football coach is proving to be one of a reliable top coach, who knows his craft all too well to succeed with the right support and quality of players. Green Mamba have all the support and resources to get quality, which they have in abundance as is. Mavuso took charge during preseason and has worked his socks off to the summit of the standings.

The coach was responding to EBIS Sports Presenter Nathi ‘Mdockies’ Hlophe last Sunday after he had asked him how it felt that he was at number one in the standings with Green Mamba after beating the team that unceremoniously let him go last season. Green Mamba recorded an aggregate 6-0 success over Highlanders this season after 3-0 margins in first and second round. Mavuso’s stay at Highlanders looked nothing but great as it first appeared he had the support and quality players.

However, just when things were going well in the field of play with results forthcoming, he was mysteriously relieved off his duties as head coach. This was after 10 MTN Premier League games in charge without defeat but wins and three draws against Manzini Wanderers, Manzini Sea Birds and Moneni Pirates. “I invested my time working hard with the team to make it gel but someone decided overnight they had better resources to win games,” Mavuso said to the EBIS presenter during Monday morning Sport Show.

It is an open secret Mavuso was disappointed to leave in the manner he did. However, Green Mamba took him in before the start of last season and he has already bettered his Highlanders’ unbeaten run of 10 games by making it all wins this time around – 10 games and 10 wins in a row. Mavuso has already gone 10 successive games without defeat or a draw since December 12, last year. In the 10 matches, he has outclassed his former employers, who had injury troubles twice. Interestingly, Highlanders lost their first match a few days after parting with Mavuso last season against a now defunct Vovovo FC at the Prince of Wales Sports Ground.

Highlanders went on to finish second to eventual champions Royal Leopard, running one point short on the last day of the campaign with departed South African coach Selaotse ‘Sly’ Mosala at the helm. Green Mamba have come from behind to the summit of the MTN Premier League standings as Mavuso had an inconsistent first round in the early weeks before his team hit the right nod in December and has been unstoppable since then.

His team has 46 points at the summit with seven games left before the league season ends while second and third-placed Young Buffaloes and Mbabane Swallows who have 43 and 40 points, respectively. These are the three teams vying for the title as it is after fourth-placed Highlanders lost twice in succession to fall 12 points behind the leaders and also six short of Swallows 40 points. No immediate could be obtained from Mavuso as his cellphone rang unanswered at the time he was sought.