adminHe said the team would actually go into early pre-season preparations, a signal that the club might be gunning for the league title next year instead of the “rebuilding” claims that have always been said.
“As a club we are already preparing for the 2012 season as we are not leaving no stone unturned,” said Ndlela.
He said the Highlanders membership will know the composition of their 2012 team before celebrating Christmas so that early next year, preparations begin.
Highlanders’ technical bench led by Mkhuphali Masuku will have their one-year contract expiring at the end of next month but Ndlela said that does not worry them a bit as they will have everything in place by then.
He said they will soon be meeting as an executive to review the performance of the technical bench and then come up with a decision on their future, brushing aside questions on Masuku’s future with the club that finished seventh on the final log standings.
Sources at the club said the leadership is divided on what route to take regarding Masuku, with some members saying he should go while others are of the opinion that he did his best with the material he had and as such should be given another chance to lead the country’s oldest football club.
Masuku gave Highlanders their first cup since lifting the league title in 2006 when he beat Dynamos 5-4 on penalties to lift the 2011 Independence Cup. The club reached and lost in the BancABC Sup8r finals against
Motor Action before bowing out of the Mbada Diamonds Cup at the hands of city rivals Zimbabwe Saints. Chikwata beat Bosso 7-6 on penalty shootouts at the Colliery.
Highlanders’ biggest undoing over the past few years has been the strikeforce, with their top striker Graham Ncube getting eight goals, something which was unheard of during the yesteryears when even midfielders like Rahman Gumbo surpassed that.
Highlanders scored just 27 goals, the joint third worst rate in the league after relegated Kiglon and Zimbabwe Saints who scored 22 and 23 goals respectively. Relegated Shooting Stars and Monomotapa are the other two sides with 27 goals while Masvingo United found the nets 31 times.
Speaking to Chronicle Sport about his future with the club, Masuku said it was not for him to decide that but his employers.
“I am an employee and naturally my employer is better placed to comment on my future but on a personal note, I still feel I have something to contribute to the club but like I said it is not for me to decide on that,” he said.
Masuku’s biggest crime could have been his decision to bring in Caps United reject Vincent Nzombe who went on to score just a single goal despite being the team’s “gunman”.
Online Reporter