Vusumuzi Dube
Fungai Muderere, Sports Reporter
AFTER being successfully engaged by Southern Region Division One club Talen Vision to be the club’s academy head coach, former Highlanders left back Gift “Thebe” Lunga (Jnr) allegedly disappeared into thin air before he signed a contract.
In appointments that were made in March, Lunga was named head coach of Talen Vision Academy and was set to be assisted by Owen Butete. However, in an interview with Sunday Sport, Talen Vision chairman Elton Sinyosi said Lunga’s hide and seek venture had left them with no option but to look elsewhere.
“Gift Lunga was successfully engaged by the club in March. He was even part of our new coaches induction workshop which was held at Milton High School. However, when all things were sorted for him to sign a contract with us, he just disappeared into thin air. We don’t know where he is and we are not going to look for him. In that regard, Nqobizitha Dube is now the academy’s head coach,” said Sinyosi.
Efforts to get a comment from Lunga drew a blank. Talen Vision, whose senior team plays in the Zifa Southern Region Division One, are in the process of renovating their new playing base at Filabusi Government Primary School where they have already put new goal posts and a perimeter fence. Last season, for their home league games Talen Vision used Mthwakazi Stadium in Filabusi in a move away from playing in Bulawayo.
The move from Bulawayo saw Talen Vision share the facility with then Zifa Central Region side Filabusi United.
In 2019, Talen Vision had Gifford High School as their home ground but played the bulk of their games at Luveve Stadium.
Sinyosi said they had to move from Mthwakazi Stadium after the facility was also adopted by Southern Region Division One newboys Jordan Sinnot as their home venue.
“We thought against sharing the same facility, Mthwakazi Stadium with Jordan Sinnot. As such, we thought of shifting and adopting Filabusi Government Primary School as our new home ground. We have played one league fixture there (against Arenel) and we are in the process of renovating our new home. We have put new goal posts and a perimeter fence right round the playing field. We are frantically working on renovating the changing rooms which also have shower places. As such, we believe this is an ideal home ground for us,” said Sinyosi.
The club trains at Milton High School and they are on record saying the aim of taking the team to Filabusi was to benefit up and coming footballers in Insiza who will be accommodated in the Talen Vision Academy.
Bankrolled by Trukumb Mining, Talen Vision recently reunited with their Slovakian coach Miroslav Nemec who is assisted by Saul Ndlovu and ex-Amazulu star Golding Dube. The club also appointed Andrew Sidambe and Wonder Mpofu as their goalkeepers mentor and team manager respectively. Mpofu previously worked in the same capacity with the now defunct Bantu Rovers.
The club parted ways with Lizwe Sweswe and his assistant Sithethelelwe “Kwinji 15” Sibanda, who joined Premier League Outfit Bulawayo Chiefs and FC Platinum Royals as head coaches respectively.
Then under the guidance of Sweswe, Talen Vision finished the 2022 Southern Region Division One league on position three after playing second fiddle to eventual winners Hwange and ZPC Hwange who concluded as the league’s first runners-up.-@FungaiMuderere.
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