Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube,Zimpapers Sports Hub
PHILANTHROPIST Wicknell Chivayo has offered ailing Zimbabwe soccer giants Highlanders Benjani Mwaruwari as coach and volunteered to pay his salary.
Zimbabweans woke up on Monday to the news on Facebook that the Harare businessman had met the legend alongside another former Zimbabwe player Harrington Shereni. In the discussions the topic about Highlanders had come up.
Highlanders will be without a coach as from December 31 this year following their decision not to extend coach Pieter De Jongh’s contract.
“During our Random and wide-ranging discussions, we also touched on the recent development at ‘BOSSO’, Highlanders FC, particularly the club’s separation with its coach, Pieter de Jongh. This naturally sparked a BRILLIANT thought and EUREKA. Considering Benjani’s
UNPARALLED exposure locally and internationally, his global FOOTBALL PEDIGREE and his BETTER UNDERASTANDING of Zimbabwean football ULTURE, why should he not take a serious interest in assuming the role of HEAD COACH for Highlanders FC?”
“Mkoma Benji confirmed that he would have an interest, provided that I exclusively guarantee all his contractual interests, should Highlanders consider him for the job,” wrote Chivayo.
He is one of the club’s benefactors and in June pledged US$1 million of which half has already been committed to the club in cash.
Highlanders chief executive officer, Denzil Mnkandla when asked for comment on Monday morning about Chivayo’s offer said: “The position of the club is that we do not have a coach at the moment as we separated with De Jongh. There is no appointment that has taken place.”
A number of names have come to the equation with club believed to be angling for Thabo Sanong and with the name of former Kaizer Chiefs striker Wedson Nyirenda having been mentioned.
Also believed to be keen on the Highlanders job is Tennant Chilumba who took modest Hwange to the Confederation Cup over a decade ago.
derick.khumalo