adminDube, a former Highlanders secretary, promised “realistic things” if voted into office.
He dismissed as unfounded reports that he promised some players $15 000 signing on fees if voted into power.
“I am happy that the rumours that have been circulating are coming from faceless sources. I am also happy that the real Bosso people have realised that the utterances were meant to discredit me. I prefer to tackle the real issues affecting the club than to engage in mudslinging.
“How can I promise to pay such huge amounts which even other clubs with good financial backing cannot pay? I am coming in as my own person and I am prepared to work with everyone because I believe it is collective effort that can contribute to Highlanders’ success.
“My stance on discipline and administration is known because I am not a visitor to Highlanders,” Dube said.
During his first term Dube saw Highlanders win the BP League Cup and finish runners-up in the league race and it is the time youngsters Kelvin Maseko and Master Masiku were fused with seniors.
Dube and Muhlwa are credited with laying the foundation for the club’s four consecutive championships in 1998-2002.
He was secretary at that time and he saw the club recruit good players like Dazzy Kapenya, Thabani Masawi, Zenzo Moyo, Blessing Gumiso, Edmore Sibanda and Joel Luphahla. The team was able to reclaim its lost glory.
Dube said dramatised visions led to the club’s downfall and challenged people to work together for the good of the club.
He said the Bulawayo giants belonged at the top and to reclaim their place as one of the country’s most followed club, there was a need for Bosso to regain people’s confidence.
The former secretary also took a swipe at the club’s members for turning a blind eye on the club’s failure to provide national teams with regular players to represent Zimbabwe.
“We must find ways of bringing people back to the stadium and I believe Highlanders has the best support. If Dynamos and FC Platinum can fill the stadium what can make us fail to do the same?
“I envisage a Highlanders that can produce players who will carry the flag higher in and outside the country. Highlanders is known for producing stars like Douglas Mkhwananzi, Ndumiso Gumede, Roger Muhlwa and
Kenny Ndebele. The club even had lots of players commanding regular places in the national teams and even today the Dream Team is remembered because most of those players who featured then came from Highlanders. Highlanders has a history of having a vibrant junior policy. And what really saddens me is that nowadays we do not have a single player in the national team coming from the club and people seem to be content with the state of affairs,” Dube said.
He said he had in the past rejected calls for him to contest the chairmanship or join the board. However, he said he had finally given in to repeated calls from members to lead the club, hence his decision to contest the chairman’s post.
“It is not a secret that I have been requested on numerous occasions to take up positions at the club but I could not because circumstances at the time could not allow. I am not coming to Highlanders because it appears as if it is at its worst. I am coming because I have been around the club and people need to get together to help Highlanders return to where it belongs — at the top.
“I am not a Messiah but what I am saying is that I have a past record that can be trusted to add value to Highlanders. A lot has not been going well and it has got to a stage whereby there’s some disharmony within the club,” he said.
Dube, a city businessman, said there was a need to adopt a professional approach at Highlanders.
“Football is business and having a high staff turnover is not good at all. You find that the club changes coaches and managers every year and in some cases dismissed officials have taken the club to court challenging the dismissals. The Highlanders I know must be dominating on the field of play and not in the court. If you get results, people start coming and if they come in their numbers then you can negotiate with sponsors with your head high, not from a desperate position because the Highlanders brand is big. The reasons why there are lot of grumblings at Highlanders is that the club is not doing well,” said Dube.
He said what was pleasing was that Highlanders people know what they want and when it comes to making decisions, they will not let the club sink.
Dube cleared the air on his departure in 2000.
“My term was up and I did not seek re-election. It is not true that my departure was acrimonious. I have followed this club from the early 1970s and have always been eager to be of service to it, that is why I put my name forward to help build this brand,” he said.
Online Reporter