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You have probably realised how the elderly in our communities rejoice when there is a dark cloud in the sky. They rejoice in anticipation of some rains to wash away their sorrows and bring back the good days of a bumper harvest. In the same token, you have probably heard of the dark cloud that does not bear water. That is the dark cloud that has enveloped the Highlanders family for a long time now.

Since the beginning of the 2012 season, with the coming in of Kelvin Kaindu as head coach, clouds started to group and hover around the skies at Emagumeni. It looked cool for the better part of the season but when it was time for the rains to come, the clouds just dispersed, leaving Bossolonas under the scorching sun.

Then came last season, the good dark clouds were all there for everyone to see, the birds were even flying at Emagumeni, the very birds that fly when it is about to rain, and those that hover around when there is some meat to be devoured, the very black and white birds called Amahlolanyana, which gave a second name to Highlanders. But alas, when it was planting time, the clouds dispersed and left the multitudes of Bosso fans under the scorching sun as Dynamos reaped the rewards of their hard work and determination in winning the Premiership title for the third time in a row.

In fact, there seems to be no wind strong enough or favourable to blow these dark clouds that bear no water for Highlanders. The situation has been the same since 2006, when Methembe Ndlovu had just come from the United States and injected some magic into the team that won the title in his first season in charge of the club. From then on, the club fell to second place, and down the ladder, and though they were comfortable second in the last two years, and winning the country’s premier knockout competition — Mbada Diamonds Cup — they still come shy at the very last hurdle to be crowned champions, and that is getting under the skin of their fans.

While Kaindu was getting a sympathetic ear in the past seasons, things are beginning to change with fans becoming impatient. While players were also getting a sympathetic ear from their fans, things are beginning to change and fans now demand results, and the six draws in 12 matches so far do not measure up to the expectations of the fans. That their run has been far from convincing is confirmed by their position on the log — fourth — behind shock pacesetters Hwange, How Mine and Dynamos. Highlanders have just won five of their games and lost one — the game they lost on Sunday to old enemies Dynamos, and pressure is beginning to mount for everyone involved in the day to day running of the team.

Nonetheless, to dismiss the Highlanders’ revival now would be intellectual vandalism, so to speak.
They face Black Rhinos tomorrow, but after losing a number of stars who have joined new clubs in South Africa, they are up against a peculiar form of fatalism. Sweepstakes are being held on how long Kaindu will hold the centre, and revive his chances of winning the title. And as for Kaindu, it’s the first time that his capabilities have been questioned by fans and the media alike, and when his cool revival will last.

A look on the social media this week showed that fans are getting dejected by failure to beat Dynamos for the past eight years, yes eight years, and perhaps that is confirmed by the attendance figures that keep dropping in matches between the two sides.

Only                                        13,292 fans paid to watch the two giants at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday, a serious decline from                                                                                16,508 last year and 25,957 fans at Barbourfields in 2012. And interestingly, two years ago, the match at Rufaro attracted 28,886 paying fans.

The long and short of it is that the country’s most high profile football duel is slowly losing its lustre and fans are beginning to shun it, and there is no prize for guessing why. It’s because the result is now known — Highlanders will lose — so why should fans bother travelling from Bulawayo or Gwanda when their boys will disappoint again?

While Dynamos will be happy with the three points, they are certainly not happy with what goes into their pocket and that trend will continue until Highlanders wake up from their slumber and reignite the Battle of Zimbabwe.

It’s up to the players to rise and be counted. This has nothing to do with the chairman or secretary, no, its up to the players, and some football experts will tell you that it’s no longer in the coaches’ hands, it’s now up to the players’ mental strength to pick themselves up and move forward. And it’s true, it’s up to Innocent Mapuranga and his friends to wake up and shake off their DeMbare bridesmaids tag!
A Highlanders fan, going by the name Victor November, wrote on a facebook supporters page that; “I agree with all those who say it’s high time we change leadership on the field, with particular reference to the head coach and team captain positions. Charisma versus results and club pride. Well, for starters everything points out to the fact that Kelvin Kaindu is slowly losing it in terms of results. We are not improving and our opponents are catching up fast, as evidenced by the fact that we now can’t beat the likes of Chicken Inn <https://www.facebook.com/chickeninnfc>, FC Platinum, Dynamos and Hwange in our own fortress at BF. In fact the list is ever growing. Surely if you can’t win at home, then you won’t win elsewhere! The Real Madrids of this world are sometimes bold enough to let go of charismatic coaches like Mourhino despite a cup or two, but always coming out second best in the El classico fixture against Barcelona does not go well with the Madridista. It batters club pride . . .”

Nqaba Donga added: “ 1, I still cannot believe that our own midfielders are outshined/outplayed by Murape Murape. 2, It’s high time we rested Captain Inno . . . but question is who will replace him (Felix), not a good choice . . . I wonder if Guide Goddard was serious about coming back home. He knows what it means to don the black and white jersey. 3, The current Bosso team has no players who have contracts to beat Dynamos. 4, Someone confirm this, Bosso only registered 25 players plus five juniors

“5. We need a regular first 11. 6, The team is now predictable — even me with my Division three team can beat the current Highlanders side. 7, Are we the fans/supporters/members behind the boys full time. Do we bring back Gift Lunga Jnr to be a Murape to inspire our team? Back in the day, the Zenzo Moyos used to fight in the dressing room, if oDazzy Kapenya bedlisile (if defenders cost the team). So from now on, Kaindu’s work and that of his boys is cut out. Fans demands results, and results are maximum points, period.”

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