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Mehluli Sibanda, Sports Editor

HIGHLANDERS Football Club seem to have found a solution to the problem of some of their coaches not having the necessary qualifications to sit on the bench after they named Joel Luphahla, previously an assistant coach as the coach of the strikers.

Rules put in place by the Zimbabwe Football Association require all Premier Soccer League coaches and their assistants to have Caf A, a qualification Luphahla is yet to acquire since Zifa last held such a course in 2017. Luphahla has Caf C, which means he could not take up his place in the technical area during matches as an assistant coach.

Bosso yesterday announced their playing and coaching personnel ahead of the start of the 2023 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season, with the significant change being Luphahla, who is now the strikers’ mentor.

Luphahla’s lack of the required coaching qualification meant that he could not be an assistant coach to Baltemar Brito and Bosso have taken action to ensure that he can take up his place in the technical zone during matches by appointing him as strikers’ coach, a position that was not there last season. In the second half of last season, Luphahla could not sit in the technical zone after Zifa directed that Premier Soccer League coaches and their assistants must be holders of Caf A.

Now Luphahla, a former Highlanders and national team winger has been handed the task of sharpening Bosso’s firepower as they seek to end their long wait for a championship.

Club legend, Madinda Ndlovu, who recently made a return to Bosso is the first assistant coach while Antonio Torres comes is the second assistant. Torres has a Uefa B but is said to be working on upgrading his qualifications.

Goalkeepers are still under the care of Daniel Khumalo, former Highlanders player Abraham Mubaiwa has been brought in as a fitness trainer, taking over from Harold Nhachi while Vezigama Dlodlo has been retained as the welfare and logistics manager. Also still in the same post is long serving Loyal Nyika, the physiotherapist. — @Mdawini_29