Ashly Dhani
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO Chiefs FC have reportedly dissolved their coaching team, with reports linking former Tsholotsho FC and FC Platinum coach Lizwe Sweswe and ex-Zimbabwe international Agent Sawu to head the Ninjas’ dugout.
Sources said Chiefs’ management committee had decided to fire coach Thulani Sibanda, Effort Murindagumo and Zivanai Chivanzi ahead of the restart of football activities at the end of the month.
It is not clear what triggered the overhaul, which came as a surprise considering that the Ninjas have been busy beefing up their squad.
Club sources said what could have led to the fallout between the coaches and club administration is that the coaches were not consulted in recruitment of players during the lockdown.
Chiefs beefed up their squad by signing former Talen Vision midfielder Mandlenkosi Gasela, right-back Ian Nekati from Chicken Inn, national Under-20 midfielder Lexington Mujokoro and former FC Platinum and Chippa United left-back Elvis Moyo.
They also acquired former Highlanders’ utility player Mbekezeli Sibanda.
“The technical team wasn’t aware of most of those signings. They were only informed that the club had signed players. The recommendations from the technical team were that after reviewing the Chibuku Super Cup performances, there was a need to get strikers. Surprisingly, defenders and midfielders were signed and that could have led to the misunderstanding,” said a source.
Another source said there are a few “loose ends” that the club is tying up before announcing the departure of the technical team.
“Agent Sawu and Lizwe Sweswe have been identified as capable people to lead the direction that the club wants to take. Sweswe is presently attached to Filabusi United, a club bankrolled by Talen Vision and that is what is being looked at, while Sawu is unattached. The new technical team will be announced before the end of the week,” the source said.
Chiefs’ secretary Dumisani Mantula-Sibanda said: “We’re working on matters of the team and for now, we are debating at management level on the composition of the technical team. It’s still under discussion.
“As the management board, we want to define the objectives of the club, the direction that the club is pursuing and how best we can achieve that. This means that there will be a visit on the human resources, looking at the technical team and the players.
Once we come up with a decision, we will let you know.” — @ZililoR
Online Reporter