Zimpapers Logo

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS coach Kelvin Kaindu took full advantage of the short break in the Castle Lager Premiership to slip out of the country and visit his family in his native Zambia.Kaindu, whose side is firmly in line for their maiden league triumph since 2006, left the country soon after watching his boys hand FC Platinum their first defeat under former Warriors coach Norman Mapeza.

“The coach left soon after the 1-0 win in Zvishavane on Sunday. As we were heading home, he was on his way to the border. He went there to see his family and is expected back on Sunday,” said Highlanders chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede.

Gumede said Highlanders does not have any problems with their coach visiting his family.

“Look, the man is a family man and needs to visit them.  In fact we are surprised that he does not go constantly to visit his family,” said Gumede.

In his absence, Highlanders who are meeting Mutare side Buffaloes in their next league match at Hartsfield Grounds, have been under Mark Mathe.

Meanwhile, the short break has been received with mixed feelings by some coaches in the league, with the majority though, welcoming it with only Hwange’s Nation Dube expressing reservations as he felt his team’s rhythm and concentration could be negatively affected.

League action takes a break this weekend to make way for the semi-finals of the One Wallet Cup, set for Mandava Stadium tomorrow and Sunday.

“Our players are not really professional when it comes to these issues.  Some will start feigning injuries so as to attend light training as they will be aware that there are no games. So in a way, personally I think the break changes focus on the part of some of these boys,” said Dube, recently appointed the Under-23 assistant coach.

However his counterparts, Caps United’s Taurai Mangwiro and FC Platinum’s Mapeza welcomed the break.

“We had a very taxing programme before the break although it’s unfortunate that we got booted out of the One Wallet Cup but it also gives us time to map the way forward going into the league home stretch,” said Mangwiro.

He said his team would have been heavily depleted had they been in action this weekend as they have five players nursing injuries, among them chief striker Dominic Chungwa.

“With nine games to wrap up the season, Caps United is still very much in the running for the league title and we would need all our players,” said Mangwiro.

Newly appointed FC Platinum coach Mapeza also said the break had come at an opportune time for him to get to know his troops.

“It will give me time to get to know other players who have not been playing regularly. It’s an opportunity for us to train as a group and see the way forward,” said Mapeza who lost for the first time to Highlanders in his coaching career on Sunday.

When he was in charge of Monomotapa in 2008, Mapeza completed a double over Tshilamoya, winning 2-1 in the first leg at Barbourfields Stadium through goals from Daniel Zokoto and Charles Chiutsa while Cuthbert Malajila scored Bosso’s consolation goal.

In the reverse leg, a strike by the late Edmore Chitato was enough to hand Monoz the win.

Despite his stronghold over Bosso being stopped by Kaindu, Mapeza is not a worried man.

“The defeat did not shake me, we played well but failed to convert our chances while Highlanders buried theirs. In future we need to prepare well and hard for such big matches,” he said.