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Nation Dube

Tobias Mandoreba in Hwange
HWANGE have appointed former coach Nation Dube to head the dugout on an interim basis ahead of their participation in the 2018 Zifa Southern Region Division One after relegation from the Premiership last season.

Hwange chairman Butholezwe Dube said the decision was prompted by coach Bigboy Mawiwi’s no-show for pre-season preparations that began last week.

“As a club we are still haunted by relegation from the elite league and preparations have to start early, but we have been taken aback by the coach’s no-show for preparations which began on January 8 despite him being aware of the programme. Hence we have turned to our son Nation Dube to act as head coach,” said Dube.

“We cannot waste any more time as we have a big task of ensuring we adequately prepare for the new season and it is our hope that Nation will deliver.”

Ironically Nation Dube was replaced by Mawiwi in the middle of last season after the coalminers decided to relieve him of his duties alongside his assistant Mebelo Njekwa following a run of poor results.

Former assistant coach Brian Njovu, who was head coach of Makomo FC in the First Division last year, has also bounced back as one of Dube’s two assistants in this new set up. Never Munkuli, formerly with Hwange Reserves, is also one of the assistant coaches.

Edmore “Mamkwebu” Sibanda is the new goalkeepers’ coach following the departure of Chenjerayi Dube, who joined Premier Soccer League outfit ZPC Kariba.

Promising coach Tafi Nengasha is the new Hwange junior outfit Hwange Reserves, who play in the Zifa Mat North Division 2A league.

Nengasha will have former Hwange midfielder Alick Nyoni as his assistant, while former long-serving Hwange goalkeeper Timothy Sibanda takes up the goalkeepers’ coach.

Hwange supporters’ chairperson Maybin Dizomba welcomed the return of Hwange sons to the technical bench and said the fans were fully behind the move.

Hwange say they want to revive the junior development systems with the set up of a Hwange Junior League run by the club.

“We want to have a club anchored on the community footballing system, hence we will have a junior league for Under-13s and Under-17s in Makwika, Lwendulu, Sinderella, Madumabisa, Lusumbami, Baobab, Railways, Ingagula and Empulanga, which will be a Hwange FC project to harness players who will feed into the senior team,” said Butholezwe Dube.

Former player Mailos Phiri and former coach Weekly have been tasked with coordinating logistics ahead of the launch of the junior league before end of this month.

@tobymandox