Agent Sawu quits Ntabazinduna

Mbekezeli Ncube Sports Reporter
THE decision by the Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services-owned Ntabazinduna FC authorities to conduct pre-season training without his knowledge has seen head coach Agent “Ajila’’ Sawu walk out of the crack Zifa Southern Region Division One League outfit. Ntabazinduna is one of the big clubs in Division One, and have over the years have been always “so near and yet so far’’ from clinching a ticket to the Premier League. The decision by Sawu to quit Ntabazinduna has exposed the deep rift between the team management and their long time coach.

The last straw, it appears, was when the club authorities started pre-season training without Sawu’s knowledge. This did not go down well with the former Warriors, Zimbabwe Saints, Dynamos, APOP Kinyras Peyias (Cyprus), SC Kriens, BSC Young Boys, FC Lucerne, FC Wil, FC Basel (Switzerland) Chongqing Lifan (China) and SA’s Umtata Bush Bucks player, who terminated his relationship with Ntabazinduna.

On Thursday the Sunday News Sports caught up with Sawu, who said he had no option but to leave as he felt “unwanted” after management failed to inform him before sanctioning pre-season training, which he was not party to. Sawu declared he was a free agent and was available to anyone who needed his services.

“After the season players were on break from football, but had to return back to their stations to perform their general duties. As the season approached players were supposed to return to training during the pre-season, which they did, but to my surprise they started training without me or my knowledge. The board did not communicate with me, so I also left the issue as it is, as there was nothing I could do,’’ said Sawu.

“For now I’m available for any team which is interested in my services as I’m a free agent.’’ Sawu left an indelible mark in football both in Zimbabwe and abroad in the field playing as a striker.

He was the ace of that early 1990s Dream Team outfit, scoring crucial goals that nearly powered the Reinhard Fabisch-coached Warriors to the 1994 World Cup in the United States, only to fall 3-1 away at the final hurdle to Cameroon.

He is among Zimbabwe Warriors all time goal scorers behind the Ndlovu brothers, Peter and Adam. He is also a holder of Zimbabwe Level 4, a Uefa B certificate and a Caf C certificate, among other coaching licences.

Lizwe Hlabangani, a prison officer at Ntabazinduna, has taken over the reins, with Mkhulisi Tshuma assisting him. Hlabangani’s first assignment was last week’s clash against newly promoted Talen Vision which ended in a 1-1 stalemate.

Ntabazinduna chairman Philani Ncube confirmed that Hlabangani has indeed taken over from Sawu and has been given a contract of two years. “Lizwe is an officer here in Ntabazinduna who volunteered to coach the team after Sawu’s departure, we’re going to give him at least two years, to see his performance since he’s just at the start of his coaching career,’’ said Ncube, who refused to shed further light on why they parted ways with Sawu.