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Mandla Mpofu

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO City FC has confirmed Mandla Mpofu as the new head coach, taking over from acting gaffer Try Ncube.

Mpofu’s elevation comes a month after being appointed as an assistant coach on a performance-based contract.

City’s acting chairman Zenzo Moyo said by appointing Mpofu as head coach the club was complying with a Zifa directive for clubs to employ coaches who are holders of a Caf A licence.

Zifa’s order also says that the first assistant coach should have a Caf A licence while the second assistant should be a Caf B or Level Four certificate holder.

This means that Ncube, a Caf B holder will be the club’s second assistant coach.

“Mandla Mpofu is now the head coach. We’re making sure that we comply with the national association’s order in terms of standardisation of coaches,” said Moyo.

Try was in charge of City’s last 13 league games, recording five wins, three draws and five defeats as he led the local authority bankrolled side to a top-eight finish.

Ncube was thrust into an acting role following the suspension of head coach Philani “Beefy” Ncube and assistant coach Farai Mujokoro by Zifa for alleged match-fixing. Mujoroko was handed a five-year ban from all football activities while Philani’s suspension was lifted last month.

At the time of lifting Philani’s suspension, acting City chief executive officer MacKenzie Moyo said the club’s board had directed termination of the former’s contract.

Mpofu, the national Under-20 coach and an ex-Railstars, Chicken Inn and Bantu Rovers gaffer, has been working with Try to set a City squad for the 2017 season which should start on April 1.

— @ZililoR