adminFOUR days into 2017, Hebert Maruwa was fired from his Green Mamba job with little to celebrate in terms of results but as fate would have it the stone rejected by the correctional services outfit has today turned out to be the cornerstone Mbabane Citizens have built their house on.
This headlines the year of mixed fortunes in this mountainous kingdom for Zimbabwe-born players and coaches.
Fired from his two-year stint with Mamba, lasting just a week jobless, hired by Mbabane Highlanders, spending just under six weeks in that job before being fired again was the summary yo-yo like initial dance.
He was to spend some cooling off moments back in Zimbabwe before replacing unbeaten Ikabort Masocha at Mbabane Citizens and since then he has gone 15 matches unbeaten in all competitions.
Maruwa is on course to become the third consecutive Zimbabwean coach to win the MTN National First Division after Tarisai Changara and Saul Chaminuka.
Also enjoying his moment in the sun was Matsapha Uniteda��s Saul Chaminuka who started the year in Gabon with the Warriors at the 2017 Total Africa Cup of Nations finals and in his absence his Swazi outfit lost the first match of the year 1-2 to Citizens.
Chaminuka was to preside over 35 matches winning 18 matches, drawing nine and losing eight times but it is the quality and impact of some of his wins that carved his name among big coaches in Swaziland.
His biggest ever win came on 5 March when his modest outfit handed highly fancied Mbabane Swallows their only defeat to a local this calendar year, 2-1 which became the 2017 SwaziBank Cup biggest upset.
Chaminuka didna��t just stop there as he went on to boot Manzini Wanderers and Manzini Sundowns out of the SwaziBank Cup 2-0 and 1-0 respectively to book a date in the final which he lost 0-2 to Young Buffaloes on 30 April.
A week later Chaminuka bagged the MTN National First Division title and ultimately promotion to the MTN Premier League of Swaziland. Matsapha United was to open their maiden premiership dance with a magnificent nine-match unbeaten run.
However, Matsapha United was to go for a winless 49 days between 4 November and 23 December, a period Chaminukaa��s side lost ground under the heavy weight of injuries leading to the ongoing SMVAF Ingwenyama Cup shock exit at the hands of Milling Hot Spurs.
Elsewhere, after leaving Manzini Wanderers, Tawana Chikore landed at Mbabane Citizens where he became key and even capped it with the leaguea��s player of the month accolade. Citizens are on course for promotion.
Meanwhile, the year 2017 was not sweet for Talent Maphosa who had to endure persistent bench warming at Mbabane Swallows before another equally frustrating stay at Red Lions, also home to Knowledge Jim.
After spending the first half of the year at Red Lions, Blessing Sande switched allegiance to Vovovo.
The yeara��s highlights will not end without mentioning Masochaa��s winning three-match stay at Citizens.
@NoelMunzabwa
Online Reporter