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‘BIRDS’ CALM AHEAD OF SUNDAY’S ‘STORM’

25/10/2013 04:38:00 BY DUMISANI NTIWANE

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Red and white glamour giants were taking it easy ahead of what is expected to be a stormy afternoon on Sunday at Somhlolo National Stadium.

The Mbabane giants will meet rivals Manzini Wanderers in an eagerly anticipated MTN League clash, which is slated for Somhlolo National Stadium.

Fresh from a crippling 1-1 draw against police ensemble, Royal Leopard on Wednesday night, training yesterday was understandably a light affair.
Swallows sweated it out under the watchful eyes of the team’s technical bench headed by Nyanga ‘Crooks’ Hlophe and his assistant Siyabonga Bhembe.

The training session, which was also attended by some of the team’s high ranking officials including the acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sibusiso Manana, lasted for about 2 hours before the team called it a day.

The training:

As usual, the players were first ordered to undergo a thorough warm up session, which was conducted by the assistant coach, Bhembe. They were made to jog around the pitch at a leisurely pace for about 10 minutes and Bhembe would gradually increase the pace until the players were almost at a full running pace.

After about 20 minutes, the players were then instructed to do short sprints and for about five minutes they gave each other no breathing space, as they tried to outrun the other.
Speedy winger, Darren ‘Dazza’ Christie and overlapping right back Manqoba Zwane seemed to enjoy showing the rest of the players a clean pair of heels.

It was a fierce contest, as the likes of Zimbabwean sweeper, Talent Maphosa and utility player Elias Tsabalaka did not want to be left behind.
The players were then divided into two groups. It was evident that the team’s technical bench wanted the training to differ with the players, who were doing duty against the police ensemble being given special treatment.

The other group, which consisted of players who were either left on the stands or were on the bench were then ordered to train on their own under the watchful care of the assistant coach, Bhembe.
This group included the likes of quicksilver winger Christie, left back Sanele Mkhweli, workaholic midfielder Phinda Ginindza and assistant goalkeeper Mbongeni Motsa to mention only a few. This group did a lot of running. It was taxing and hectic.

The mood:

Despite the somewhat crippling draw against the police ensemble, the mood in the ‘Birds’ camp was still high. The players never complained, not even when Bhembe seemed to stretch them to the limit only a few days before the game against Wanderers. Every player seemed determined to make an impression. The jokes were still flying around with sweat all over the players’ faces. The Swallows players were evidently enjoying themselves.

The casualty ward:

No serious injuries were reported by the Mbabane giants. Previously injured left back Sanele Mkhweli has fully recovered from his ankle injury. He was running freely and interviewed afterwards, the fast improving player disclosed that he was now fit and was actually looking forward to the game against his former teammates.

Missing in action:

Only talismanic forward Mfanafuthi ‘Taribo’ Bhembe failed to show up at training, His whereabouts remained unknown at the time of going to press. The rest of the players were present. Former skipper, Lwazi ‘Zidanae’ Maziya is back in South Africa pursuing his academic commitments.

coach’s corner:

Nyanga ‘Crooks’ Hlophe (Head coach)
“As I said after our game against Leopard, the draw will serve as a wake up call to my players that we are not yet invincible. Teams can still punish us. Preparations have however, gone on well and I am looking forward to a much improved performance against Wanderers on Sunday”.

CEO’s corner:

(Sibusiso Manana)
“I want to make a special appeal to our supporters to come in numbers for this one. We have a bone to chew with Wanderers on Sunday. While we respect them as a team, we are certainly not afraid of them and we are looking forward to a good game. We will do everything in our power to put smiles on their faces after the disappointment of failing to win against Leopard in our midweek game.
“We are going out there for a win on Sunday no matter the circumstances. Our aim is to win the league so by all means we have to win our games irrespective of the opposition”.