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A Hub of joy!

15/02/2011 00:00:00 Lwazi Dlamini ( Pandora's Box)

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My dearest readers... Touching wasn’t it? Watching the loyal, die-hard Moneni Pirates supporters flashing the famous cross-bone and skull signal to their heroes?

This was after the Mlamuli ‘Sputla’ Zwane’s youthful side had turned the game on its head and sent Mbabane Swallows fans packing and the ‘Birds’ title hopes shrinking faster than woolly jumpers in a tumble dryer.

Didn’t it bring a tear to the un-cynical eye seeing those punch-drunk Manzini Wanderers fans dance like the ‘Weslians’ had already lifted the trophy after the 3-1 mauling of Umbelebele/Cosmos?

You had to be at Mavuso Sports Centre on Saturday to see these wonderful scenes unfold on a night to remember when it became clearer why Mavuso Sports Centre is the country’s new soccer mecca and why this year’s MTN Premier League is set to go down in history as one of the most competitive, exciting, nerve-wrecking since the Mobile Telecommunications Company started sponsoring the ultimate competition in 2001.

The game of football is about glory. It is about nights like this one; nights that will still be recounted months after the curtain has fallen on the 2010/2011 season. Nights that will be imprinted in the minds of all those 4 000 fans who cascaded to the Mavuso Sports Centre to see Moneni Pirates re-live old memories – the days of Mandla ‘Toy Toy’ Manzini & Co. - when they played diski nine-nine; artistic, creative and richly entertaining football. Nights like when Wanderers twinkle-toed youngsters, Sicelo ‘Junior’ Simelane and Thabo Tshungulwane reminded everyone of the silky skills of other crowd pleasers who donned the famed ‘maroon and white’ kit before them.

Here I speak of Zwelakhe ‘Mrico’ Nxumalo, the late Wandile ‘Bin Laden’ Mdluli and Sipho ‘Shisa Gesi’ Mdluli. The tranquil Manzini City turned into an enclave of joy and an exotic destination beyond the wildest football dreams. The Times Sunday back page, read, VIVA MANZINI but even words cannot begin to describe the shared joy between the Pirates and Wanderers supporters as we made the way out of the Mavuso Sports Centre. It was a sight to behold. The day ended in mutual admiration as if there was a newly formed bond between the two arch-rivals.

The celebrations, in the case of the table toppers, Manzini Wanderers were hyperbole given that there are still seven games to be played but after the splendid performance on Saturday by Tiger Thompson’s exciting side, you have to believe they do look the part of champions. No doubt, having spent a fortune in pre-season, Wanderers have depth, knife-through-butter quality and in their 12th player, the supporters, have a massive back up. While everybody watched in awe the team taking decisions like firing coach, Thabo ‘Koki’ Vilakati despite being on the pole position and even changing their Management Committee, it seems all this has not affected the rhythm one bit – if anything, it seems in fixing it when it is not even broken, they have literally made it better.

Oh, yes, the best decisions, sometimes are made when everything is well and good – not when everything has suddenly gone pear-shaped. That’s why nobody even remembers the name ‘Koki’ Vilakati anymore as Thompson, in a classic case of continuity, has built on the base he found, cajoled the boys and rallied the fans to give the team the unmatched support it has always enjoyed since time immemorial. It is working like a charm, at least for now.

As Pirates put a dent on Swallows title hopes in extraordinary circumstances, at Somhlolo National Stadium, Royal Leopards underlined their title credentials too, by beating Mhlambanyatsi Rovers 2-1, pushing one of the oldest teams in the country deeper into the relegation cesspit. The police side has not been getting all the plaudits for their resilience but no doubt perched on second spot they are reminding everyone they are still a force to be reckoned with. Green Mamba too, cannot be discounted, though they have a penchant of pressing the self-destruction button when it matters most but with a game in hand and lying on the fourth spot, they are very much in the title hunt.

I am ready to avail myself to be pelted with stones if XI Men escape the dreaded relegation axe having said this when the Siteki side (or are they?) had only played two games following their return to the elite league via the ‘boardroom football decision’. I am sorry I had not anticipated this. I honestly thought they would be relegated at the end of the season. I had not anticipated they would be relegated even before Valentine’s Day!

Farewell XI Men, your road back to the First Division league where you should have really campaigned this season is now as clear as the fact that Mhlambanyatsi Rovers will be your companions too! Too bad...

’Downs must fry for Friday’s shenanigans

And now... Initially I wanted to add on the interesting debate I raised in this column last week of the coaching merry-go-round and how player power has killed the ambitions of teams like Manzini Sundowns, forcing them to dance to the beat and massage the egos of a good-for-nothing bunch of players, not even fit enough to polish the soccer boots of the club’s former stars like Matthews ‘Chaka Chaka’ Mandlazi, Turbie ‘Washisha Gwebu’ Terblanche, Wicky ‘Saddam’ Marks, to mention a few.

But since coach, Kenny Ndlazi and Sundowns have finished airing their dirty linen for all to see, with the matter now being discussed in other forums, one has to wait and see if lessons will be learnt by all and sundry.

I hope Ndlazi gets what’s due to him and Sundowns pay heavily for allowing the tail to wag the dog in this uncharacteristic fashion!

But there is now a common tendency by hosting teams to ill-treat their visitors. It is a trend that is aimed at destabilising the opponent even before a ball is kicked and has everything to do with the archaic muti beliefs. It is also a psychological blow to the opponent. Royal Leopards are notorious for this, abusing their privilege as police officers by locking the stadium gate, denying their opponents enough time to get ready for the game under the guise that they are the host team.

Mhlambanyatsi Rovers were the latest victims on Saturday and unsurprisingly coach, Gcina ‘Magiyane’ Dlamini is hopping mad. But the real drama was on Friday when Sundowns did the same thing, forcing Hellenic to warm-up outside the stadium. This is ridiculous.

The rules are clear that for two hours the visiting team should have access to the stadium and should have access to the dressing rooms for an hour and a half.

The worst part here is that in the end the game started more than almost hour late and the rules are clear that the game should have been called off. If it continued to be played, as was the case, then it was played outside the rules.

In this instance, where the delay was not caused by natural forces, Sundowns should not only fry but forfeit the three points to the opposition. Perhaps this could be a lesson to the rest of the teams to stop these dirty tricks of abusing the hosting rights.

Being the host team doesn’t give you the licence to rough-shod over the other team and generally pushing them around like little boys. This is an opportunity for the Premier League of Swaziland (PLS) to stamp its authority and teach the purveyors of these outdated dirty tactics a lesson of a lifetime.

For it makes a mockery of our Premier League football!...

IT CAN’T BE TRUE, ONE MAN SO LUCKY!

Finally... They often say you don’t see a man smiling on the way to seeing a dentist but surely I defied that notion last week as I gave an ardent reader of this column my best manure-eating grin when he asked how I felt seeing Orlando Pirates perched on top of the ABSA Premiership log.

I was on my way to see a dentist after crying like a baby all night long on Monday and I can tell you now, it felt like giving birth. "It’s the greatest feeling in the world as all my teams are on top of their respective logs all over the world, so I am in a good mood and have got a good choice of teams to follow," I said with a smile that could melt butter.

It was last Tuesday morning shortly after 11am when I met the plump, middle-aged man – a walking amoeba - whom you can point out first if there was an identification parade for a conman.

I am sure women hold on to their purses when he passes by and predictably he was wearing the beautiful new Orlando Pirates replica, which upon seeing the number of people wearing it around town you would think you got one free whenever you bought a fine bottle of Johnnie Walker Black whisky.

Oh yes, how can one man be so lucky!... I cascaded to Mavuso Sports Centre and peeped through at the restaurant’s flat screen where I saw my beloved Manchester United whack our ‘noisy neigh-bours’, Manchester City 2-1 with Wayne Rooney scoring one of the best goals I have seen in a long time; an exquisite overhead kick, which was so sweet it could have been eaten for dessert.

Then later on, I was on cloud nine as the mighty Buccaneers beat Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 to prove their title credentials as Rudi Krol’s men completed a 12-match unbeaten run to stay on top of the pile.

It didn’t matter that my beloved Barcelona drew 1-1 with Sporting Gijon as they still enjoy a five point lead at the top of the Spanish LaLiga, never mind the ‘Rossaneri’, AC Milan who still lead the pack in Italy’s Serie A. For good measure I am beginning to fall in love even with the modest table toppers Borussia Dortmund in Germany’s Bundesliga after watching almost all their games on DStv since the league began. For the record, Scotland’s Glasgow Celtic are perched on first position in the Scottish Premier League.

No doubt, lokuhle kuyevana... How I wish I could say the same with my beloved Sihlangu Semnikati, who would struggle to beat a bunch of amputees somewhere on a beach in Sierra Leone but Musa Zwane’s battalion is on a learning curve and can be forgiven for the 4-0 bashing by the classy Zambians in mid-week.

But go ahead, call me, number 1... and for the record, I am no Wonder Morreria but it’s just a matter of choice!

Hahahahahahahahahah...
Until next week, Thatha!

(Send your comments to: sports@times.co.sz or lwaforthelove@yahoo.co.uk or 7661 2829)

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