Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
PIETER de Jongh has once again turned the spotlight from Highlanders’ football to his own fiery temperament.
The Dutch coach has been fined US$1 250 by the Premier Soccer League (PSL) for implying bias and questioning the integrity of the league and its partners after Bosso’s Chibuku Super Cup semi-final defeat to Dynamos last Sunday, the latest flashpoint in a three-match tenure where his emotions have repeatedly boiled over.
His now-famous post-match tirade was classic De Jongh. Raw, impulsive and impossible to ignore. “It’s always difficult to play against 12 players,” he said moments after full-time at Rufaro. “The first goal was a big shame. There is no fair play.”
This was after Vusa Ngwenya appeared to take a free kick not at the spot of the incident and with the ball seemingly rolling.
Those words, flung in frustration after a tense penalty shootout loss, have since defined another week of damage control at Bosso. The PSL charged him under the Standing Order Fines Schedule, which allows the league to penalise minor to moderate offences without convening a disciplinary hearing.
It was handled through a spot fine, a sanction reserved for technical area flashpoints and media comments deemed reckless rather than malicious.
But the problem for Bosso isn’t the money. It’s the pattern.
De Jongh’s temper has been bubbling since August. Remonstrating with referees, baiting the fourth official, and charging down touchlines in theatrical protest. Each outburst chips away at Highlanders’ composure, turning the dug out into a stage and the players into extras in his running drama.
The coach insists he was misunderstood. “Football must always be about fair play and respect,” he wrote in a social media clarification.
“My comments were never meant to disrespect the PSL, referees, or Dynamos. I spoke out of passion for the game and the values I stand for.”
Yet passion has its price. Inside Highlanders, officials have grown uneasy. What was once viewed as fire has begun to look like a distraction. Even loyal fans are split; some say he’s defending Bosso’s honour, while others see a man losing control at the wrong time of the season.
With Highlanders still not mathematically safe from relegation, De Jongh’s focus now turns to their final three matches against Simba Bhora, Manica Diamonds and Chicken Inn.
The Bosso family will be hoping their coach’s passion fuels a strong finish, not another fine.
