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Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS caretaker head coach Mark Mathe and the club’s technical advisor Cosmas “Tsano” Zulu have denied there is a rift in the Bosso technical team.
During Highlanders’ match against Chiredzi at Hartsfield Rugby Ground last Monday, Mathe and Zulu appeared not to agree when it came to substitutions with the latter apparently showing doubts on recommendations coming from the former on which players to withdraw.
Highlanders went on to win the match 2-1, their first win since the departure of Zambian mentor Kelvin Kaindu last month.
Mathe appeared to disagree with Zulu and could be heard muttering some words of disapproval. Knox Mutizwa was eventually pulled out and replaced by Godfrey Makaruse. Other substitutions saw Gabriel Nyoni make way for Mgcini Sibanda and King Nadolo come in for Valentine Ndaba.
Despite all those glaring observations, Zulu strangely accused the media of focusing on unnecessary happenings.
Zulu, a former Highlanders player and coach was brought in to beef up the club’s technical team until the conclusion of the current season following Kaindu’s departure.
However, since he came on board last month Zulu, famous for mocking the club’s executives for their lack of football knowledge at the club’s meetings, there has been hardly any noticeable change at Highlanders in terms of form.
Highlanders lost three matches that include the semi-final exit in the Chibuku Super Cup where they were clobbered 3-0 by Harare City before they got it right against Chiredzi last weekend.
“Why do you media guys focus on negative things that are not your area of speciality; don’t bring politics into football. I am working well with those guys, they appreciate my knowledge of the game, there has not even been a single problem,’’ said Zulu.
Mathe said whatever might have been observed by the media was an indication that there was communication between members of the technical team.
“Whatever you could have observed shows that we communicate, we liaise that is how we operate. We communicate whenever we want to change tactics or personnel on the field of play,’’ said Mathe.
Asked whom exactly has the final say between him and Zulu, Mathe said he had the final word although he consulted other members of the technical setup.
“I don’t work in isolation, I am the one who makes the final decision but it’s impossible for me to do it alone. There was nothing negative about taking out Knox to replace him with another winger in Godfrey Makaruse, there is no animosity at all,’’ Mathe said.
On reasons why Zulu did not sit on the bench at Hartsfield, Mathe explained that it had all to do with the technical advisor sitting at a vintage point where he could observe the match and make his recommendations.
Zulu was on the bench when Highlanders lost to Harare City in the Chibuku Super Cup but at Hartsfield he sits in the stands and is consulted through the fence.
Online Reporter