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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
PREMIER Soccer League (PSL) side Bulawayo Chiefs are reportedly closing in on an unnamed foreign coach to take over from the sacked Thulani Sibanda.

The Ninjas severed ties with their coaches led by Thulani Sibanda at the beginning of the week, with earlier reports linking former Tsholotsho FC and FC Platinum coach Lizwe Sweswe and former Zimbabwe international Agent Sawu.

Sibanda and his assistants Effort Murindagumo and Zivanai Chivanzi were booted out of Chiefs in a shock move after assembling a formidable side that played in the first-half of the Chibuku Super Cup in June before sport was again suspended due to a spike in Covid-19 infections.

Sources told Chronicle Sport that the club’s director decided to overhaul the technical team and beef up the squad with the hope of challenging for honours.

The foreign coach will be assisted by much-travelled gaffer Mark Mathe, who has had stints with Chicken Inn, Highlanders, Caps United, Harare City and ambitious Zifa Southern Region Division One Soccer League side Talen Vision, who disbanded their squad during the Covid-19 enforced sports suspension.

Mathe started his duties on Wednesday and could be joined by another assistant coach, who is tying loose ends with his present employers.

“The new coach arrives next week. There is some outstanding paperwork being sorted out. As you are aware, Mark Mathe is presently taking charge of the players waiting for the coach. He’ll understudy the foreign coach along with another local coach, who is wrapping up some issues.

“It’s a whole new set-up that the club is coming up with. Of course Lizwe (Sweswe) was one of the people who had been earmarked for the job, but he is comfortable where he is. Names always pop up and Sawu was one of those, but eventually, Mathe and the other guy seemed readily available and understood what the club wanted,” said the source.

Chiefs secretary Dumisani Mantula-Sibanda said they are still working on assembling a fully-fledged technical team.

“I can confirm that changes have been made to our technical team and Mark Mathe has joined the club as assistant coach. He has already started his duties. More details on who else is joining the technical team will be announced in due course,” said Mantula-Sibanda.

Asked why they fired the technical team, Mantula-Sibanda said: “It’s about transforming Bulawayo Chiefs for the better. From lessons learnt, it’s better off doing it at the beginning of the season so that you do not upset the system when it’s rolling. We have dreams as Bulawayo Chiefs and we are simply pursuing our dreams. We hope these guys (new technical team) will stand for our objectives.”

He declined to comment on whether or not the incoming coaches were involved in the signing of new players during the forced football suspension.

Chiefs acquired former Talen Vision midfielder Mandlenkosi Gasela, right-back Ian Nekati from Chicken Inn, national Under-20 midfielder Lexington Mujokoro, former Highlanders utility player Mbekezeli Sibanda and former FC Platinum and Chippa United left-back Elvis Moyo.

“The reality of the matter is that as we change the technical department, we have to provide the new coach with material that is on another level. January isn’t far so that the coach can plug in holes he might feel need a plug.

“The players were signed so that he finds quality players to work with. Because of Covid-19, the coach has been engaged at a time when the window is closed and we couldn’t be seen appointing coaches at a time when there’s no activity,” Mantula-Sibanda said. — @ZililoR