Try Ncube charms Highlanders’ bosses

HWANGE assistant coach Try Ncube is set to be appointed as one of Kelvin Kaindu’s assistant coaches at Highlanders after impressing in interviews held last week.

As Ncube joins Bosso, successful junior development coach Melusi “Mabaleka” Sibanda will be moved to take over the first team’s welfare manager’s post as incumbent Vezigama Dlodlo’s contract will not be renewed according to insiders.

Former assistant coach under Baltemar Brito, Joel Luphahla will be promoted to head the development side since he does not have a Caf B certificate, a licence to sit on the Premiership bench.

The club is in the process of assembling a formidable technical team ahead of the start of the 2024 season.
Several coaches were shortlisted for the two assistant coaches’ positions.

Zimpapers Sports Hub understands that Botswana-based Blessing Moyo, Lizwe Sweswe who is with Sheasham, former head coach at the club Bongani Mafu who is abroad at the moment, Ncube, Bekithemba Ndlovu and John Ncube were considered as front runners.

The two Ncubes and Ndlovu were eventually interviewed with Try emerging the best.

“Interviews were carried out last week by some members of the executive, vice chairman Fiso Siziba, secretary Morgan Dube, chief executive officer Ronald Moyo and coach Kaindu. There were few issues with Beke but Try emerged the best candidate and is most likely to join Highlanders,” said the source.

Bosso communications officer Nozibelo Maphosa did not deny or confirm the developments but said the club will be announcing their technical setup soon.

“We are still finalising our backroom staff. Once there are any developments we will advise,” said Maphosa.

Head coach Kelvin Kaindu trusted goalkeepers’ coach Tembo Chuma might make a return to the club.

Chuma is said to have confided to friends that he will not be returning to FC Platinum after a rough working period where his relationship with head coach Norman Mapeza reached toxic levels.

In another development at the club, Luphahla was two weeks ago made Bosso90 coach replacing Mabaleka who will be team manager of the first team.

A career development coach, Mabaleka who has charmed club legend Madinda Ndlovu because of his brilliant work with the juniors, has worked with some of the city’s best promising players in recent years Like Mbongeni Ndlovu, Gillian Nyathi, Andrew Mbeba, Brendon Rendo, Prince Ndlovu, Darlington Mukuli, young goalkeeper Gerald Sibanda, Daniel Msendami, Archford Faira, Prince Dube, Brian Banda, Denzil Khumalo and Nedrick Madeya.

Sources close to the club say Mabaleka is reluctant to take up the offer despite better perks as he feels his career path is coaching, not management.
Mabaleka played for the club’s juniors and was promoted to the first team and was part of the side that won four consecutive league titles before he broke his leg leading to retirement from the game.

Luphahla was at Highlanders for some months in 2000 before he left for Cyprus with striker Zenzo Moyo.

Moving Luphahla to the development side is probably meant to groom him for a future role.

Meanwhile, Highlanders have terminated the contracts of strikers Stanley Ngala and Washington Navaya as the club seeks to bolster their strike-force.

The players are said to have been informed of the development on Friday.

The duo scored two goals apiece last season.

It was a campaign that saw Bosso scoring the least number of goals in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League campaign in which they found the target 24 times in 34 matches which was their worst strike rate in 33 years.

Highlanders are racing against time to beef up their strike-force.

Strikers Reason Sibanda who scored eight goals for Arenel last season, Njabulo “Tshiki” Ngwenya who was with Triangle and Brighton “Maninja” Ncube are among players that have been spotted at the Highlanders training. – @innocentskizoe.