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Bongani Mafu

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS coach Bongani Mafu needs to be given time with the team and supporters must exercise patience with him, a Bosso legend has said. Douglas “British” Mloyi, highly respected in the Highlanders circles, said it would not do the club any good to continue changing coaches willy nilly and at the instigation of supporters.

“There’s still a lot of time for the team’s fortunes to turn around, we’re just going through a bad patch and it will pass.

“The youngman (Mafu) needs time to fully implement his strategies, maybe his plan A hasn’t gone according to plan and its now time to invoke plan B, let’s be patient a little bit,” said Mloyi who is also the Highlanders Legends, a group of former Highlanders players, chairman.

Bosso have so far collected seven points out of a possible 15 points from five games. They opened their 2015 account with an away loss to ZPC Kariba before recording identical 1-0 wins over Tsholotsho and Hwange at Barbourfields Stadium. Buffaloes collected a point from them in a 0-0 draw at Sakubva Stadium in a game in which Ariel Sibanda saved a penalty from former Highlanders player Jacob Muzokomba.

Game number five saw Amahlolanyama doing the unthinkable, losing 0-1 to a then winless Chapungu at Emagumeni, a result that saw a group of supporters staging an impromptu demonstration against Mafu that ended up at the Highlanders Club House.

Mafu recently told this publication that he was not under pressure but admitted that he had a challenge to fix the mess.

Bosso have only managed to score two goals in all the matches so far, both goals coming from defenders, Teenage Hadebe and right back Webster Chingodza.

Their strikers have taken turns to miss the goal despite creating chances. Some analysts have questioned the wisdom of using young Thomas Chideu as a lone striker, arguing that the young man, playing in his first premiership season, could be finding the responsibility too heavy to carry.

It has been suggested that he be used as a winger where he can fully utilise his dribbling skills.

Highlanders’ next league match will be an away trip to league debutants Dongo Sawmills at Vhengere Stadium in Rusape. The match comes exactly 19 years after Amahlolanyama were beaten 0-3 by Cone Textiles at the same venue.

A win against the league newcomers will set the stage for Caps United’s visit to Bulawayo in their next home match.