Chronicle Editor
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
HWANGE Football Club are reportedly eyeing one of the Talen Vision’s assistant coaches, Try Ncube as a replacement for Bongani Mafu who recently ditched the Zifa Southern Region Division One pace setters for Ngezi Platinum Stars.
Mafu left the title chasing Hwange two weeks ago for an assistant coach role at Ngezi Platinum where he is working under former Zimbabwe Warriors captain Benjani Mwaruwari.
Former Highlanders goalkeeper, Edmore “Mamkhwebu” Sibanda is the acting head coach and is being assisted by ex-Hwange player Obert Moyo. Sibanda and Moyo do not have the required qualifications to coach the team on a permanent basis.
Hwange are said to be keen on engaging Ncube because of his proven track record as a head coach. Ncube won the Zifa Southern Region title with Bulawayo City in 2019. Before that he had led Amakhosi to an eighth place finish in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League 2016 season as the caretaker coach.
Nairos Deredzai, the Hwange chairman said his executive is meeting tomorrow to start the process of recruiting a substantive head coach.
“At the moment we don’t have anyone that we have agreed on, we have got a pool of potential candidates. Come Monday, we are sitting down as an executive committee. From the pool of candidates, we will make a decision if we are head hunting or going the interview route, we are looking to unveil our substantive head coach as soon as possible,” Deredzai said.
Talen Vision general manager, Mkhululi Mthunzi said Hwange have not yet approached them yet for the services of Ncube.
“For now it’s just hearsay, Hwange have not approached us, people will always speculate, we have not heard anything for now,’’ Mthunzi said.
What would give Hwange hope in their pursuit of Ncube is that Talen Vision last year released one of their coaches,
Mark Mathe when Bulawayo Chiefs came calling for him last year. For Ncube, a move to Hwange is something that he can consider since his family is based in Victoria Falls.
Meanwhile, Hwange picked up their 10th win of the season when they saw off Zimbabwe Saints 2-0 at the Colliery Stadium yesterday. Hwange are now on 33 points, two ahead of second placed Arenel Movers who were 2-1 victorious over Quality Foods at White City Stadium. Zibusiso Dambo and Mlungisi Ncube were on target for Arenel
Movers.
Goals by Ayanda Ncube and captain Njabulo “Tshiki” Ngwenya handed Talen Vision a 2-1 win over Indlovu Iyanyathela, a win which took Lizwe Sweswe lads into the top four.
Zifa Southern Region Division One results
Yesterday: Indlovu Iyanyathela1- 2 Talen Vision, Hwange 2-0 Zimbabwe Saints, Casmyn 2-1 Binga Pirates, Mainline 1-1 CIWU, ZPC Hwange 2-0 Makhandeni Pirates, Quality Foods 1-2 Arenel Movers, Bosso90 4-0 Mosi Rovers, Ajax Hotspurs 1-1 Mountain Climbers, Indonsakusa 0-3 Ratanang— Follow on Twitter @Mdawini_29
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