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TEMBO CALLED PLAYERS ‘SMALL BOYS’ – CARMICHAEL

23/09/2014 04:53:00 BY CHRIS DLAMINI

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MBABANE – Questions asked on why Manzini Sundowns coach Christopher Tembo was relieved of his duties have been answered by team boss Mark Carmichael.

The soft spoken administrator, responding to comments that the Zambia-born mentor wanted quality players to win games and that there were officials hell bent on seeing him axed, said; “Firstly, it would be wrong to say he was fired as he was on probation and we were not getting the results. He wanted quality players and not small boys but according to us, that we have with us and clearly we did not have the same philosophies,” he said.

He argued that while Tembo wanted quality, he could name several quality names in his squad who would be able to bring results but that has not happened yet they wanted to win.

“He said the players we have were small boys and he wanted better quality but would you say Darren, Phinda Ginindza, Sawa, Sikhokho, Mlamuli, Papi are small boys. I don’t agree so if my coach says that, then you can see we weren’t on the same page,” Carmichael said. He said their players were quality and experienced as well as involved with the national junior and senior squads.

He also said as Sundowns they continued to build the country’s football as they had an academy with their longest serving player in the current squad still in the Under 20s squad and that is Mlamuli ‘Mlaba’ Nkambule.

“To have a senior national team player Sikhokho on the bench because you say he’s a small boy was not working for us. He’s a Sihlangu player so to lose with him on the bench made no sense. So, all parties agreed that we should part ways to avoid any finger-pointing because we expect to win games and silverware,” he said.

He acknowledged that already two lucrative tournaments have gone by being the Swazi Telecom Charity Cup and the ongoing Castle Premier Challenge Top 8 but they have nothing. However, Carmichael said he had no ill feelings with the coach and respected him. No immediate comment could be obtained from Tembo who has already returned home in Zambia.