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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS chairman Peter Dube has finally broken his silence on the perceived underhand machinations by the club’s first team manager Willard Khumalo who has come under a barrage of attacks from fans each time the team performs badly.
Allegations from some sections of the team’s supporters are that there is bad blood between the legendary Highlanders son, Khumalo and head coach Kelvin Kaindu. The situation reached boiling point when fans demonstrated after Bosso lost 0-2 to resurgent Caps United in a friendly match played at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.
Some of the demonstrating Highlanders fans accused the former national team stalwart Khumalo of undermining the authority of Kaindu. They claimed Khumalo was working in cahoots with some executive members who wanted to find an excuse to fire Kaindu.
Kaindu’s two-year contract expires at the end of the year although the club said negotiations for an extension had already started.
Some of the allegations against Khumalo are clearly misplaced because some of the fans seem to be ignorant of his duties as a manager. They, for example, accuse Khumalo of making substitutions yet it’s his duty to liaise with the fourth official whenever the team wants to make a substitution.
During the demonstrations on Sunday, some of the ring leaders were at pains to explain why they were blaming Khumalo for the team’s poor performance especially during the second half of the season, an indication that there could be other forces at work.
“I really do not think Willard is eyeing Kaindu’s position as alleged by some people,” said Highlanders boss Dube.
Dube said it was unfortunate that some sections of the club’s supporters believed Khumalo was working against the club’s interest.
The Highlanders chairman said the club has a constant and traditional system of meeting their technical teams every other week where pertinent issues from technical to administration are discussed and there has not been any indication that there could be bad blood between Khumalo and Kaindu.
“During one of the meetings soon after the loss to Black Mambas, Kaindu came out in the open and said he had no problem working with Khumalo and all that has been associated with him was notrue,” said Dube.
He said Kaindu also told the executive that during team selection, Khumalo would not be anywhere near and therefore it was not true that he sometimes interferes with team selection as alleged by some fans.
When Kaindu was contacted about the perceived feud, he refused to comment arguing he might be misquoted.
“I really would not want to comment about that,” he said.
However after the Sunday defeat to Caps United, Kaindu said he had no issues with Khumalo.
Dube said it will be out of order for anyone within the Highlanders dressing room to sabotage the team when everyone wanted winning bonuses.
Meanwhile, Highlanders’ planned friendly match against Hwange at Barbourfields Stadium today has been cancelled.
“We had suggested it but it’s no longer going to take place,” said Dube.
Online Reporter