YOU’VE GOT TO LOVE THOSE JOYOUS HIGHLANDERS FANS

My dearest readers... Love or loathe them, Mbabane Highlanders are an integral part of Swazi football.

The ‘Black Bull’ is the nerve centre; the heart-beat of local football and it would be folly to wish them away. Unsurprisingly when they suffered the monumental embarrassment of being relegated from the Premier League for the first time in their chequered 62-year history two seasons ago some people, to this day, are of the view that the local football standard plummeted to the lowest ebb since then.

 They argue that the appalling standard of play we are witnessing in what is supposed to the elite league football is as a result of the decline of one-time the country’s football aristocrats as a football powerhouse on and off the field.  It is very difficult to argue otherwise.
In fact, it would be a baffling perversion of logic. Their place in the annals of football history is written in iron ink.
It is secure. After an indifferent start to the new season on their return to football’s top table, they seemed worse off than the season they got relegated.

A 4-2 loss to Young Buffaloes in the opening game was then sandwiched between two victories over Red Lions (5-2) and sickle as a parrot Malanti Chiefs (3-2). The hopes skyrocketed but then a 5-0 bashing by the star-studded Royal Leopard in a game where they played like they had met just before kick-off time left even their most fanatical fan perplexed.

It was not just the hammering on the day from the hands of the ruthless police side (who doesn’t lose to Leopard these days?) but certainly what was disappointing was the pathetic performance in which Highlanders looked subdued in all the key areas.
This column sent an SOS to club Chairman, Bheki ‘Rubber’ Simelane to put aside all differences and recall the South Africa-born players, Vusi Mashinini (formerly Madinane) and striker Ayanda Lumkhwane because without their experience the team looked a sure bet relegation cannon fodder.

With a litany of inexperienced players Highlanders ceased to be a serious football club.
Indeed, the return of the two players and the decision to play the experienced Machawe Dlamini in goal plugged all the gaps which had left the team with more holes than Swiss cheese.

The performance on Sunday against, granted, an ordinary Manzini Sea Birds, was much better though the transition is still too slow for a team of their stature and a more organised opposition team would still find their defence in counter-attacks falling apart like the biblical walls of Jericho. Their defence is grave cause for concern and so is the midfield. Upfront the left footed Lumkhwane, who scored the brilliant winner on Sunday against Sea Birds, gives them aggression but lack of supply and ‘coaching’ sees him go too far away from the scoring area (what Mark Williams calls the ‘Kitchen’) for him to be a more serious threat to the opposition defence.

But what got me swinging from my chandeliers was the palpable joy by their hordes of supporters. You have got to love those Highlanders fans!
Seeing them dance and ululate long after the game had ended behind the dressing rooms was a sight to behold. The dancing seemed rehearsed. It had such rhythm one even wondered whether it had been practised for the whole week. It has been a while since I last saw Highlanders fans celebrate like that.

It was magical. This is not just a journalistic imperative of accentuating the positive but Highlanders fans’ celebration was as sweet as honey.
Our football, dare I say, needs more of such good feeling; vibe and sheer unbridled joy. It gives the league a good feel factor.
There is a lot of despondency in this country socially, politically and economically. Football, as the prime minister has rightly observed, should be a stress reliever. In football stadiums, this is where people should be at peace with all the vicissitudes of life.

That’s why I could not help but smile seeing the hyperbole celebrations by the Highlanders fans. I am not oblivious to the fact that this was just one game against a very poor Manzini Sea Birds and it could be a stream of unbridled optimism based on the most slender of foundations.

But it is good while it lasts. Its early days but when a team of Highlanders calibre bring such colour, competition and go up to third on the log standings, we have a good story to tell. Long may it continue Nkunzemnyama!
The truth is, there is a lot of hard work that needs to be done by Highlanders management and players. They are far from being a finished product, that much I can say.

But in a season where the unthinkable is happening; where there are so many shocking and unpredictable results, one can safely say we are in for an interesting season that promises to be 10 months of sustained drama and palpable enjoyment.
On the self-same ‘Super Sunday’, Red Lions pulling a rabbit out of a hat, snatching a winner deep in referee Thulani Sibandze’s optional time was magnificent.

It was particular interesting seeing the roly-poly Phinda ‘Phindrix’ Dlamini, who despite his sumo wrestler, still outpaced Wanderers defender Menzi Gamedze to set up his side’s first goal.
The crisp touches and quick thinking of the former Jomo Cosmos and Ama-Tuks striker were inspiring. His combination with former Green Mamba striker Solomon Oladeye is promising that indeed atohlasela Amabhubesi who are in a lofty second place on the MTN log standings.

Just for good measure, Malanti Chiefs picked up their first point, stopping Royal Leopard’s juggernaut though the police side still remain unbeaten (together with another armed forces side Young Buffaloes) and three points ahead of the pack on the log summit.
It doesn’t get more sphincter-clenching than that. Bring it on, we love it!

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