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Highlanders’ secretary-general Emmet Ndlovu

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS are in no hurry to appoint a substantive chief executive officer, with acting club chairman Modern Ngwenya saying securing sponsorship was their main priority.

Bosso began the year without a chief executive officer following the expiry of Ndumiso Gumede’s contract on December 31.

Ngwenya said the club’s secretary-general Emmet Ndlovu, who assumed CEO duties when Zifa suspended Gumede in November, 2016, will continue in an acting capacity.

“We haven’t met as an executive to decide the way forward with regards to the CEO’s position. As things stand, the status quo remains. The secretary-general (Ndlovu) will continue assuming CEO duties. Another thing on the engagement or appointment of a CEO is that the club will stand guided by finances. We have to hire knowing that we will be able to pay. At the moment we’re working flat out to secure sponsorship and we’re hopeful everything will be okay,” Ngwenya said.

Even though Ngwenya said they’re yet to begin the hunt for a CEO, sources within the club say Fifa trained administrator Nhlanhla Dube is odds-on favourite to replace Gumede.

In hiring a new CEO, the Highlanders’ executive will have to recommend their preferred candidate to the board, which can either reject or endorse the person expected to lead the club’s secretariat.

The club’s human resources committee, which has members of the board and executive, will then deal with contractual issues.

Besides dealing with the CEO’s matter, Highlanders are also seized with concluding players’ contract negotiations.

Highlanders managed to tie down, among other players goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda and Soccer Star of the Year finalist Peter Muduhwa, before the end of last year.

A number of their players’ contracts expired on December 31. Bosso’s sponsorship deal with BancABC also expired on the same date, making it difficult for them to negotiate deals with their players.

BancABC catered for all salaries, leaving the club to look for winning bonuses and other incidental allowances.

Ngwenya scoffed at reports that BancABC has agreed to a six months’ deal worth around $240 000.

“There’s no grain of truth in reports circulating on social media that we’ve agreed a deal with BancABC. If anything, BancABC communicates with us directly not through the media and if anything comes up, I’m sure you will know via the official channels,” said Ngwenya.

On negotiations of players’ contracts, Ngwenya referred questions to Ndlovu, who said they had scheduled a meeting today with midfielders Rahman Kutsanzira and Simon Munawa.

“Our office is still closed, but we’re still talking to the players. I’m sure by end of tomorrow we would have finalised with the players you’re asking about,” Ndlovu said.

@ZililoR