Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE brick that Highlanders threw away has become the cornerstone that has given the Dynamos house the foundation on which hope is pinned on for survival in the Castle Lager Premiership.
Dynamos find themselves one position away from the bottom four and with enough energy, confidence and vigour to survive relegation. When the season ends, new coach Kelvin Kaindu will be a big hero at the country’s biggest club Dynamos if they survive relegation.
Until last week DeMbare occupied a bottom four slot and for over five months have been second from bottom before Kaindu waved the magic wand.
Those who showed him the exit door have found themselves looking at a team gasping for breath with results still the same old story. Highlanders have had Try Ncube and now Pieter De Jongh and still the same old story of mediocrity with probably the truth now bare that it is not the ingenuity of the coaches lacking but that the playing pool is below Bosso standards.
For all the changes in the technical team, results have shown that no matter how big the plantation of lemons, only lemon juice can be made hence expectations of orange juice premised on the former being a citrus tree or fruit does not work.
Kaindu simply put, did not have the material of Highlanders’ stature, a club that demands the best even from a practice match. For a club created 99 years ago, members and fans alike, hate to hear the word rebuilding considering that it was done many decades ago and only positive results are expected, week in, week out.
Highlanders got rid of coach Kelvin Kaindu in June this year after 17 matches that had given the club 23 points and at that stage trailed leaders Simba Bhora by 12 points.
Ncube had his spell of eight games of which two had De Jongh as shadow coach calling shots behind the scenes. Highlanders got six points and there is no doubt that he was primed to fail as in the four weeks of the transfer window the club despite a US$50 000 assurance for new players and another inflow from the sale of Mafios Chihweta, was never allowed or assisted to bring a player.
At the end, the same squad less McKinnon Mushore and Chihweta was paraded, providing boo boys a chance to make the technical team the scapegoat.
Results continued eluding Highlanders. Bosso added four players after the arrival of De Jongh amid high hopes that things would change, but with just six points from five games, the Dutch tactician has fared no better.
Highlanders are hovering in the relegation zone, with calculator in hand and praying for equally struggling teams to falter and land them the initiative in the relegation fight.
The Dutchman has presided in five games and collected just six points.
He has done well to guide Bosso to a certain blockbuster semi-final tie against Dynamos in the Chibuku Super Cup. What is clear, is that Highlanders needs a big clear-out that is objective and get players who will fight for the badge in the club’s 100 years celebrations next year.
There are just too many players below the Highlanders standards. Bosso needs fighters and those groomed at home must not owe it to sympathies but to rise and be counted on the field and play to reach standards of yesteryear greats like Madinda Ndlovu, Zenzo Moyo, Tito Paketh, Peter Nkomo, the late Mercedes Sibanda, Willard Khumalo, David Phiti, Titus Majola, Tymon Mabaleka, Cavin Duberley, Boet Van Ays, Itai Chieza, Stanley Nyika and Nqobizitha Maenzanise.
Isn’t this the same with our Warriors? We can change as many coaches as we desire but as long as we think the Nakambas, the Billiats, the Hadebes, the Musonas, the Arubis etc of yesteryear’s football are still our best players, we ain’t going anywhere. We can bring in Carlo Ancelotti or Jose Mourinho or Pep Guardiola or Arteta, Slot or a combination of all these, our results will not change.