Swazi Observer

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DOMINIC LEARNS OF FIRING ON SOCIAL MEDIA

By XOLISILE SACOLO | 2024-06-17

Soccer – Former Sihlangu Semnikati head coach Dominic Kunene was 2 741km away from home when he found out of his sacking through social media posts and newspaper headlines.

The former Young Buffaloes head coach was on his way from Mauritius where Sihlangu had completed their second 2026 World Cup Qualifier match, when he learnt that he would be replaced by his former assistant coach Sifiso 'Nuro' Ntibane.

Sihlangu lost both their Group D matches, 0-1 to Angola before going down 1-2 to Mauritius.

While the team was on their way back to the country, the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) called a press conference where they announced that 'Nuro' would be the new head coach.

According to a source close to the matter, Kunene was surprised to learn the news after not being engaged, and to make matters worse, the EFA had still not engaged him to this day.

"He only read in the newspapers that he was no longer the national team coach. EFA has not communicated anything to him," the source said.

Kunene is already in the country after he returned with the team on Wednesday.

The source he said was still waiting for EFA to engage him.

"This is unprofessional and you do not expect such treatment from the football mother body."

The source said Kunene was still expecting to submit his report on the qualifier matches, but from the look of things, the EFA was no longer interested.

"Let us wait and see what will eventually happen between EFA and Kunene, but until now nothing has been communicated to the coach."

Kunene declined to comment on the matter as it was a contractual issue.

“I can’t discuss my contract with the media as it is between me and my employer,” he said.

Meanwhile, EFA Marketing and Communications Officer Muzi Radebe said he was not the right person to comment on the former coach’s contract.

Radebe added that they were still waiting for a report from the technical bench.

“We were still preparing for the COSAFA squad and our focus is there at the moment. Unfortunately I am not the right person to comment on coaches contracts. At the moment, as far as I know, we are still waiting for a report from them on their World cup qualifiers,” he said.

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