adminGREEN Mamba coach Hebert Maruwa was a losing finalist in the Swazi Bank Cup while Tarisai Changara gained promotion with Tambuti. Maruwa took over the job from, Rodwell Dhlakama.
But the year ends as Maruwa patiently waits to know if he keeps his job because things havena��t been good in league games.
Manzini Wanderers was to be home for drama for two Zimbabwean coaches Shepherd Murape and Julius Chakupewa. All drama started with the former Warriors mentor who was appointed coach just at the dawn of the year.
Murape a holder of the Yugoslav acquired diploma in football was to asked to produce a mandatory Caf B coaching badge and that rocked the marriage to a dead end with Wanderers at the end of 2015.
Their love for a Zimbabwe born coach was not done yet, they unearthed Julius Chakupewa a holder of a Germany PRO, and once again he was not allowed to sit on the bench as the National Football Association of Swaziland Technical Director would not equate it to Caf badges equivalent.
In a sign of solidarity with Chakupewa, Wanderers sponsored the mentor to a Caf B course held in Pretoria but since it takes a while for the license to be released the coach remained barred from the technical area.
Club authorities had to circumvent the requirements and appointed Chakupewa as assistant manager thus enabling him to sit on the bench after fives months in the terraces.
On the players front, Wanderers parted ways with Tendai Chikuku and Takawira Chimwanda over unmet contractual obligations but welcomed Frank Mukarati, Tafadzwa Jaravani and Tawana Chikore from Border Strikers and Bulawayo City respectively.
However, Mukarati could be on his way out in the new year with his slot expected to be filled by 39-year-old Zvenyika Makonese who will become the record oldest player to ply his trade in the Premier League of Swaziland.
More coaching drama was at Manzini Sundowns where Godfrey Tamirepi was appointed coach but lasted just 10 league games before stepping down from the post citing interference and sabotage.
At Tambuti FC, after winning promotion into the premiership and guiding the team to the Swazi Bank semi-finals, Changara felt unrecognized when another coach Aloe Bhadara was shipped in to override him forcing him to quit.
He later joined Mbabane Highlanders but it has not been rosy for him with the most successful team in Swaziland floating with threatening titanic sinking.
For the second successive season, the National First Division looks set to be won by a Zimbabwean coach with the Saul Chaminuka coached Matsapha United leading the pack into the second half of the season with six points after 13 matches.
The ambitious projecta��s association with Zimbabweans as two were involved in setting up the club website together with a South African, a first ever such football club website in this country.
Among players playing in Swaziland it was a largely unsettled year, with Talent Maphosa resurfacing from the wilderness to rejoin Mbabane Swallows but he has failed to break into the 18, with Blessing Sande being forced by inaction to request to be released.
Anesu Gondo hogged the limelight with his tumultuous involvement with Mbabane Highlanders and later Royal Leopard, with Ramson Zhuwawo dragging Highlanders to players status committee over a cancelled contract while Augustine Mbara didna��t even bother to sign.
All in all except for Changara, no one saw gold this year and golden prayers have to sounded to turn 2017 into a golden year, for now say goodbye 2016 please take with you the failures.
Happy New year!
@NoelMunzabwa
Online Reporter