admin
Acting Sports Editor
SLOW–TALKING Hwange head coach Nation “Malume” Dube says he is not losing sleep over his future at the coalminers following the expiry of his contract and those of his assistants, Brian “Jah” Ndlovu and Chenjerai Dube.The trio’s contracts ran out on December 31 last year but the former Gwanda Ramblers, Zimbabwe Saints and Hwange midfielder believes all is in order and there is no need for him and anyone to be worried.
“Hwange is an institution that is independent from Nation Dube or anyone so we had to reason with authorities that the most important step to take was to secure this club’s future by securing players.
“We have managed to retain all but one of our players which is a rather demanding process than getting us coaches to sign contracts,” said Dube who had a shacky start to the 2013 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season before picking up form later on.
Castle Lager Soccer Star of the Year finalist in 2012 Nkosana Siwela is the only player yet to pen down a contract renewal with the coal miners.
Dube while confident that the dreadlocked midfielder will be retained said his whereabouts where unknown at the moment. The team generally suffered from lack of consistency last season with some commentators describing their performance as a yoyoyo because they would blow hot and very cold at the same time.
Their biggest victory was without doubt the 4-2 mauling of Dynamos at the Colliery Stadium. Chipangano, as Hwange is affectionately known, finished the season three points above the drop zone and it is that strong finish that everyone along Songa Road in Hwange believes the boys must be kept together this season.
“I have been here in Hwange for a long time and year-in year-out, I have realised that the team loses key players to rival teams while we are left to build from scratch so this time we said we need to secure our players first instead of rushing to give coaches contracts. To me that would be like employing a driver without a car,” said Dube.
Hwange has in the last couple of years seen a huge exodus of players during the January transfer window, most of them leaving as free agents or due to some rather harsh disciplinary decisions from the executive.
Dube said by securing players’ contracts, in the unlikely event that a new man comes on board; he will be able to find a standing team than building from the start.
Late last year club chairman Joseph Hove gave a thumps up to his technical team and squashed any fears that they might bring in a new face.
“We have not employed him as such; Nation Dube is still our coach. Zulu is only doing talent identification on behalf of the club, we wanted someone who does not know these youngsters so that he makes a fair assessment,” said Hove then, upon being asked about the presence of veteran coach Cosmas Zulu who was conducting trials on behalf of the team in Hwange.
Online Reporter