Online Reporter
Innocent Kurira
Zimpapers Sports Hub
FORMER Highlanders coach Pieter de Jongh has defended his decision to take Bosso to FIFA over alleged unpaid dues.
He says the move is about protecting a contract, not throwing a blow at one of Zimbabwe’s biggest clubs.
The Dutchman has lodged his complaint through the FIFA Legal Portal, citing breach of contract after Highlanders allegedly failed to settle outstanding salaries, part of his sign on fee, prize money and medical bills.
At the centre of the dispute is a five percent share of prize money and medical expenses which de Jongh says were clearly written into his personal agreement with the Bulawayo giants.
Sources close to the matter say Highlanders tried to apply their internal 60/40 prize money split policy, but de Jongh believes that approach has nothing to do with what he signed, and that is what pushed him to escalate the matter to world football’s governing body.
De Jongh says he understands how the move will be received by some fans, but he wants it seen in the cold reality of professional football where contracts are supposed to mean something.
“I am a professional coach with experience in 12 countries, having worked in five national teams or football associations and top 10 clubs,” said de Jongh.
“A contract is a contract. When agreements are not honoured, going to FIFA is professionalism, not disrespect.”
The case brings back a familiar name in Bosso circles.
De Jongh’s first spell at Highlanders in 2019 delivered silverware and momentum, winning the Chibuku Cup and putting together a 16 match unbeaten run that briefly restored belief at Barbourfields.
He has also tasted success locally beyond Bosso, having guided FC Platinum to a Super Cup title, a record that made his return to Bulawayo in 2025 feel like a calculated gamble by a club fighting to stay afloat.
Highlanders brought him back on a five-month contract with one job, drag the team away from relegation trouble.
He managed it, and even squeezed out a Chibuku Super Cup semi-final run, a decent return in a short, tense stint.
Now the relationship has ended in a dispute over money, with de Jongh saying the contract terms were clear from the start and should not be rewritten after the work is done.
Even as he takes the matter to FIFA, the coach insists he is not at war with the club’s identity, or the supporters who backed him during both spells in Bulawayo.
“Bosso has the best fans in Zimbabwe, always respect,” he said. “Let football grow through facts, fairness and respect.”
Mathew Masinge