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Nation Dube

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
THE Hwange veterans leadership, a group of former Hwange Football Club players, has vehemently denied that there are plans to oust Nation Dube from his post as head coach on the grounds that he does not hail from Hwange district.

There have been reports that some former Chipangano gurus had already put in motion a plan to stage a swift and dramatic coup in the Hwange dressing room that would end with the Zimbabwe Under-23 assistant coach Dube losing his post.

He has held the position since 2008.

Dube joined the Chipangano dressing room in 2004 as player-coach during the Paul Moyo era.

Speaking to Chronicle Sport on Saturday, Hwange legends secretary and one of the longest serving players, Aleck Nyoni said the reports had disturbed them.

“We’re really shocked and sad at the reports. We played alongside Nation Dube and for someone to suggest that there are moves to remove him is really bad.

“We’ve no powers to appoint a coach let alone to fire one because that’s the prerogative of the sponsor.

“Nation Dube is a member of the veterans association and he like all of us pays monthly subscriptions.

“There’s no way therefore that we can suddenly turn against him,” said Nyoni.

He added:

“We’ve had coaches from outside the country heading Hwange and for people to say we want Nato out simply because he hails from Gwanda isn’t fair.

“I want to categorically state that as former players, we’re fully behind Nation Dube, in fact we will rally behind anyone appointed by the management.”

The Hwange Veterans Association is headed by David Phiri with Chabuka Mwale his vice chairperson.

Sources though said daggers had been drawn against Dube with those calling for his ouster saying he has since overstayed at the helm of the coalminers, worse still results so far have not been forthcoming.

Chipangano remain winless in five starts, drawing their two home games against ZPC Kariba and ailing Mutare side Buffaloes.

They opened their 2015 Castle Lager Premiership campaign with a 5-2 loss to Triangle at Gibbo Stadium before dropping four points in Bulawayo in a space of three days, going down 0-1 to a struggling Highlanders at Barbourfields Stadium before a late equaliser against new boys Tsholotsho at White City Stadium denied them maximum points.

Acting chairman Perekai Mapanga recently suspended Hwange assistant coach Mebelo Njekwa over what he said was insubordination on Njekwa’s part.

Njekwa had just replaced Brian Njobvu who was relegated to the juniors following Chipangano’s 2-5 loss to Triangle United.

Both decisions were hugely criticised by the team’s supporters as they were done without any consultations.