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. . Noel Munzabwa
FORMER Bulawayo City coach Darlington Dodo walked out on MTN Premier League of Eswatini outfit Manzini Sundowns just after 90 minutes of action as the marriage between the two parties got irreparably rocky.
It would be too generous to even say he lasted 90 minutes as the Zimbabwe-born mentor merely instructed the team from the terraces as he could not take to the dugout because he was yet to acquire a work permit and football rules in this country bar any such coach from the touchline.
Perhaps the administrative issue could be one of the reasons why Dodo, amid simmering frustrations decided to pack his bags and head back to Harare at the weekend soon after the goalless draw away to Tambuti Fc in the sugar belt of Mhlume.
While a local daily was reporting the work permit issue, fissures from the Ikapa Boys suggests club authorities had had enough of the coach’s request to travel to Harare “after four trips to attend to his bedridden wife”.
Attempts to get the real reasons for the abrupt departure from Dodo on Wednesday drew a blank with the soccer coach promising to get back during the day something which never materialised and indications are that Manzini Sundowns are shopping for a new coach from Zimbabwe.
Dodo becomes the third coach from Zimbabwe to walk out on Sundowns after Rodwell Dhlakama in 2012 and Godfrey Paradza in 2017.
Meanwhile, Tarisai Changara and Zenzile Dolly Mpofu fell 43 minutes from a season opening win after the Moneni Pirates match against Mbabane Citizens was called off on a technicality after the later fell below the minimum number of players on the field of play.
Citizens had started the match with eight players on the field of play after failing to get the players’ licences in time for the match and two minutes into the second half with Pirates leading 2-0, Citizens lost two more players through injury leaving them with an inadequate six on the field.
This left the referee with no option but to call off the match and it is most likely the Changara-coached outfit will be awarded the full three points.
In Piggs Peak, the George Madira coached MTN National First Division outfit, Piggs Peak Black Swallows were inactive after their match against Seven Dreams was called off at the 11th hour due to Killarney Stadium’s unavailability.
The premiership entered Week Two with midweek fixtures with Week Three action lined up for the weekend.
@NoelMunzabwa
Online Reporter