Rising from the shadows…Brito, Highlanders forge path to glory despite criticism

IN the realm of football, coaching is often regarded as a labour of love, a profession where the fruits of one’s work may go unnoticed.

Coaches, in their moments of triumph, become nameless heroes, while during periods of struggle, they find themselves vulnerable to criticism and the demands of sacrifice.

Such is the intricate web in which Baltemar Brito, the technical manager of Highlanders Football Club, found himself entangled after his team’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Bulawayo Chiefs last week.

Fuelled by the weight of scrutiny, Brito unleashed a passionate tirade against those who had been quick to judge his team’s performances leading up to that crucial match.

Although Highlanders may not always exhibit the dazzling display of football, they remain firmly within the title-chasing contingent.

Comparing their current campaign to the previous season, after 12 rounds of action, Bosso had amassed 14 points.

This season, however, they stand undefeated with an impressive 22 points from the same number of games, trailing table-toppers Ngezi Platinum by a mere solitary point.

The progress made by Brito’s team, one could argue, represents a colossal improvement.

Yet, despite these achievements, the fans of Bosso continue to question the ability of the former assistant to the legendary Jose Mourinho to lead them to their first league title since 2006.

Impatience permeates the air, as some fans criticise Brito for deviating from the traditional Highlanders style of play, occasionally opting for a more defensive approach.

On two significant occasions, Brito employed the tactic colloquially known as “parking the bus,” employing a staunch defensive strategy against FC Platinum and, more recently, Bulawayo Chiefs.

Remarkably, both games yielded victories for Highlanders, with a thrilling 2-1 result against FC Platinum and a gritty 1-0 triumph over Bulawayo Chiefs.

Doubts concerning Brito’s squad rotations and player assignments in unfamiliar roles further exacerbate the fan’s unease.

However, following Highlanders’ triumph over Bulawayo Chiefs, Brito directly addressed his critics, asserting his unwavering belief in the path he has chosen.

“We won. After the five draws people were criticising us too much but we managed to stay close to the top. We won today, maybe there is something that has changed. If you look at it,” Brito proclaimed.

The weight of years of near-misses and unfulfilled aspirations rests heavily upon Highlanders.

Brito, acutely aware of this burden, challenges the critics, urging them to appreciate the tireless work of his squad.

“How many years has Highlanders not won the league, how many times has Highlanders been top of the table but people criticise and criticise without appreciating the work that people do.

We are doing our job and people should respect the work being done by these boys.

“Even in the bad times people should respect these boys.

They’re not doing badly because they are top of the table.

We put these boys under the pressure of winning the championship but we have a coach here in Zimbabwe who doesn’t put Highlanders amongst teams that may win the Championship.

Why? Is he crazy? No! He looks at the investment and looks at the squad and thinks why there is pressure,” Brito passionately argued.

Football writer and development coach Sakheleni Nxumalo, while recognising the validity of Brito’s frustrations, opines that allowing the results on the pitch to speak on behalf of the coach would have been a wiser course of action.

“This outburst might further antagonise the skeptical fans, undermining Brito’s claims as a championship-winning coach.

Rather than confronting them head-on, he should have continued focusing on his job, allowing the results to silence the criticism.

Criticism is an inherent aspect of the coaching profession, and personally, I believe Brito is performing miracles given the talent, or lack thereof, at his disposal,” Nxumalo said.

Xolani “Skweya” Nkundlande, another experienced coach, echoes the sentiment that fans should learn to appreciate the tireless efforts of coaches.

“When a team grinds out results, it is only fair that people acknowledge the hard work put in by the coaches.

Coaches design formations and systems based on the materials available to them. This is often overlooked; the available resources determine the style of play and the roles assigned to the players,” Nkundlande said.
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