Chronicle Editor
ON Tuesday last week Highlanders announced the rehiring of Zambian Kelvin Kaindu as their head coach for the next three years.
The development was met with mixed feelings like any that affects a big institution such as Highlanders, which enjoys a massive following in the country and has a rich history in the game dubbed as the most beautiful by the late Brazilian icon, Pele.
While we welcome the appointment of Kaindu back to Highlanders who some don’t regard as a foreigner as he earned his stripes in 1997 at Bosso as a player, we take this opportunity to quickly remind him that his work is cut out for him. This is because Bosso supporters have over the years grown impatient as they last won the coveted league championship back in 2006 under the tutelage of another former player, Methembe Ndlovu. In between that period and now Kaindu was thrust to the hot seat in a bid to take Bosso out of the football doldrums, but was not successful.
He returns still with the unenviable task of changing the fortunes of the team, something which he almost achieved when twice his star-studded side finished runners-up to bitter rivals Dynamos on goal difference.
Although we don’t doubt Kaindu’s pedigree and credentials as a football trainer, it seems his hiring at Bosso always coincides with the fiercely fought elections of the team’s leadership. Last time KK as Kaindu is affectionately called by his admirers was hired by the executive under the leadership of Themba Ndlela who a few weeks down the line went on to lose the chairmanship’s post to Peter Dube. This time around Kaindu comes in when the incumbent chairman, Johnfat Sibanda will within two months be subjected to the Bosso democratic route of choosing its leaders as his term expires at the end of January.
Elections for the chairman, secretary-general and committee member will then follow.
It is against this background that with such uncertainty over leadership especially in the mentioned positions, the team’s office-bearers should embrace Kaindu regardless of who is at the helm. It should not be lost that his appointment was done by Sibanda and his executive with the interest of the club and nothing else.
So he should be given enough ammunition to enable him to mould a team that will be able to compete.
However, there is a danger in such appointments when it is unclear whether the chairman will stay and the anticipated funding. With foreigners attracting higher perks, it could be mortgaging the club.
We have seen situations where coaches have taken clubs or a national association to Fifa seeking recourse. In fact, Kaindu had to go the same route in 1998 for outstanding salaries and allowances.
It is our fervent hope the club will be on a sound footing to allow him to go into the market and get players that will make Highlanders a force to reckon again.
As it is it doesn’t take rocket science to tell that the current Bosso first team is bereft of talent. It is a pale shadow of the great Bosso teams of yesteryear that had Madinda Ndlovu, Mercedes “Rambo” Sibanda, Willard Khumalo, Alexander Maseko, Adam Ndlovu, Peter Ndlovu, Tapuwa Kapini, Thulani Ncube, Dazzy Kapenya, Richard Choruma, Douglas Mloyi, Dumisani Nyoni to mention but a few who turned Highlanders into a formidable force.
The team’s supporters also need to be patient to allow Kaindu time to build a team in his image.
He needs all the support and resources to conquer Zimbabwe.
Londile Moyo
Online Reporter