TSANO IN SOLO BOSSO TRIALS Highlanders techinical advisor Cosmas Tsano Zulu tries to quell angry Highlanders supporters in this file picture
Highlanders techinical advisor Cosmas Tsano Zulu tries to quell angry Highlanders supporters in this file picture

Highlanders techinical advisor Cosmas Tsano Zulu tries to quell angry Highlanders supporters in this file picture

Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS FC technical director Cosmas “Tsano” Zulu is presiding over trials for players hoping to play for the club next year and others who are returning from loan spells.

The veteran coach has been conductiong the trials alone with stand-in coach Mark Mathe and goalkeepers coach Peter “Oxo” Nkomo not involved.

The Bulawayo giants, infuriated by incompetent players that failed to stand the heat as the championship race went on, have made it clear that they will wield the axe on “excess baggage”.

Players whose stay at Highlanders is almost over include striker Njabulo Ncube, goalkeeper Njabulo “Popo” Nyoni, Joel Ngodzo, Simon Munawa, Dumisani “Fazo” Ndlovu, Innocent Mapuranga and Hillary Madzivanyika some of whose contracts expire at the end of December.

Probably as part of a contingency plan, Tsano is said to have started trials on Saturday. They have been running everyday at Hartsfield Stadium before the Highlanders’ main team’s afternoon sessions.

Chronicle Sport attended yesterday’s trials and witnessed Zulu conducting the session alone while Mathe and Nkomo were on the terraces getting ready for first team’s training as they prepare for the Gushungo Cup against Dynamos.

A senior player yesterday said the divisions within the technical team were clear.

“Even as the trials are on, you can see for yourself that it’s Tsano’s show here. Mathe and Oxo just sit and observe him do his things. Of course we know that most of the guys will be leaving but there is no unity in the technical team squad,” said a player.

Plumtree Chiefs and ex-Highlanders juniors’ captain Lindelani “Vice” Ncube, Arnold “Poonkie” Ndiweni and Witness Musanhu are some of the notable faces that attended yesterday’s trials, dominated by players from the lower leagues.

How Mine’s Timothy January is said to have attended training on Tuesday. It is also believed a Nigerian has been part of the trialists.

What is likely to puzzle many is that Zulu, who was brought in to assist Mathe after Kelvin Kaindu’s departure, will be leaving the club after the team’s weekend Gushungo Cup encounter with Dynamos and is doing all this before the appointment of a substantive coach.

Highlanders’ leadership runs the risk of facing the same public backlash of getting inept players for their technical staff whenever a new coach comes in.

Bosso chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede defended the trials which he said were an assessment of players that they had loaned out.

“The truth of the matter is that we’ve recalled all our players that we had loaned to other clubs so that the coaches can assess or look at them as we plan for next year. Players like Dougy (Douglas Sibanda), Gift Saunyama and Arnold Ndiweni are some of the boys that we had sent out so that they get game time elsewhere,” Gumede said.

“Highlanders has been here since 1926 and ozabuya uzoyithole inje aphinde ayitshiye. It is not the executive or the secretariat that decides on who stays but it is the technical team that is going to advise us on the impact of persons that they are assessing.”

Zulu declined to comment, saying his contract doesn’t allow him to speak to the media without the club’s permission.

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