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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
FORMER national team midfielder Johannes Ngodzo and Mduduzi Mpofu will take charge of Bulawayo City in the interim after the municipal club parted ways with head coach Philani “Beefy” Ncube yesterday.

The City executive decided to cut ties with Ncube two days after suffering a 1-0 derby defeat to Bulawayo Chiefs on Saturday.

The writing had been on the wall for Ncube in recent months following consistent poor performances by his side.
Their only win of the season in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League was a 1-0 shock of Highlanders in February.

Since then, they have lost six times and drawn twice, leaving them languishing at the bottom of the league table with six points from 13 matches.

Ncube had hinted that it was time he called it quits following Saturday’s loss.

Philani “Beefy” Ncube

“It’s 95 percent that a coach should say this is the time to quit. The results are not coming,” said the outspoken Ncube.

Bulawayo City marketing and public relations officer Lovemore Dube confirmed Ncube’s departure.

“The club executive met in the morning with the coach and decided to disengage. He has been a loyal and committed member of the club and we will always be indebted to him for all the hard work he put in and he will always be part of the Bulawayo City family.

“We wish him the best in his next football job. In the meantime, Ngodzo and Mpofu will be in charge until further notice,” said Dube.

The outspoken Ncube made bizarre claims of match fixing against his players last month for conceding what he called two soft goals in their 0-2 loss to FC Platinum in Bulawayo.

He also claimed in March that he knew for a fact that 80 percent of Zimbabwean footballers take drugs, especially BronCleer.

Ncube claimed that during their match against Highlanders, which they won 1-0, one player from Bosso was under the influence of drugs and accused fans of selling drugs to the players.

City’s next league assignment is a mammoth away game against table toppers Dynamos. -@innocentskizoe