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Lovemore Dube Senior Sports Editor
Bulawayo businessman and farmer, France Ndlovu, believes the Highlanders FC technical team has been exposed so many a time that it would be foolhardy to expect them to win this year’s championship.Twice in 2012 and 2013 Bosso were pipped to the title by Dynamos who had a superior goal difference. In those two championships like this year’s race, Bosso led at the halfway mark and with a better goal difference.

Highlanders began the second round of the championship with a pathetic show against a determined young Bantu Rovers. The youthful Methembe Ndlovu-coached outfit played with the aplomb of seasoned veterans and were unlucky not to get a penalty in the first half when Dumisani Fazo Ndlovu fouled George Majika in the box.

“I think we have once again kissed the championship good-bye. The ingenuity of the coaching department headed by Kelvin Kaindu has once again come into question. This is not the first time as we have on two seasons gone down a similar way,” said Ndlovu, a Highlanders Life Member.

Ndlovu said for Highlanders to win, they needed a shrewd coach who would go into the market and pick up gems he would use. Bosso, he said, needed a coach who is able to select the best team on the day, employ winning tactics through timely and effective substitutions.

“We have seen them go to the market and that has not enhanced their potency. I believe it’s the coach who buys players and therefore when he does so he should use them.

“Look at the players that have been bought in the past they have come on board to be bench warmers and are not given the same kind of opportunities boys like Knox Mutizwa and Ozias Zibande have been given. I have no doubt that these other boys would have the same statistics or better.

“All this shows frailties in the coaching department which they have failed to arrest. As fans and members we demand better from our team’s technical department. Their average tactics on average players are letting us down and it is high time they upped their game,” said Ndlovu who also owns a Zifa Bulawayo Province Division Three side FMH Academy who groomed Bantu Rovers’ Teenage Hadebe.
Ndlovu also challenged the players to take responsibility on the field.

He added: “The boys must emulate players like Honour Gombami, Zenzo Moyo, Richard Choruma who could take the game by the scruff of the neck and deliver  through individual brilliance.

“We do not see any of that anymore. The boys must take opportunities and they lack a clear path of how they intend scoring.”
Ndlovu also challenged the club to accept former players who want to return to the club.

“So many of them are known fighters on the soccer pitch and would make a difference for the club. Who doubts the fighting qualities of Gilbert Banda, Zephaniah Ngodzo, Graham Ncube and Brighton Dube? ” said Ndlovu.

He said given the same material and financial backing, Philani Ncube could do better than the Highlanders technical team.

“Ncube has proved to be a shrewd tactician,” said Ndlovu.

Highlanders’ next match is against How Mine at Barbourfields Stadium.

In their last match, the miners despite losing 2-1 to Bosso, played better football.