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BULL COACHES ON COLLISION COURSE

By MELUSI MLOTSA | 2024-04-25

SOCCER - IN tatters!
All is not well at capital city giants Mbabane Highlanders' camp as a serious rift has ensued among members of the technical bench.

Reports of a discord between coaches Milton Dlamini, Dumisani ‘DU’ Makhanya and Siyabonga Bhembe surfaced this week, putting into doubt the working relations of the three men, who form the team’s technical bench.

Highly-placed sources within the club revealed that head coach ‘Spanish’ Dlamini does not see eye-to-eye with his assistant 'DU’ and physical trainer Bhembe.

It is understood that Dlamini, who joined the capital city giants recently, feels he can work better with his own technical team.

This publication has it in good authority that the coach wishes to work with the team’s legend Sifiso ‘Barnes’ Mkhulisi.

Sources close to the matter revealed that the calls for a major shakeup in the team did not sit well with Makhanya and Bhembe. The duo's contracts reportedly expires at the end of the current campaign, hence they will demand compensation if they leave the club earlier.

So serious is the situation that the coaches are now harbouring bad feelings against each other, as the tension reaches boiling point at times. The players are also aware about the rift between the coaches, as it is being talked about in hushed tones.

“The tension in the club is so thick that you can cut it with a knife. As I’m speaking, the dressing room is divided. I watched the team in action last weekend and this week's training sessions. You can tell that it is divided. What is important is unity at this stage. But trust is like a glass, once broken it can’t be repaired,” said the source.

Highlanders Public Relations Officer Kenneth Dlamini neither confirmed nor denied the friction.
“Yes, it’s the norm that when a coach takes over, he must have his own assistants. At the moment, we are trying to assist the coaches to work together at least for the remaining matches.

“Our managing director will then give us guidance at the end of the season,” he said.
Meanwhile, the capital city giants have a roller-coaster season, as they were dumped out of the richest tournament Ingwenyama Cup by traditional arch rivals Mbabane Swallows.

“They are also at position six on the MTN Premier League log standings with 32 points from 22 matches.

With them fresh from a 1-4 defeat to Young Buffaloes, ‘Spanish’ will look to instill unity in their camp as they prepare to face relegation-threatened side Denver Sundowns on Saturday at Ka-Langa Technical centre.

They have another mammoth task next weekend against traditional sworn rivals, Mbabane Swallows in the Mbabane derby.

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