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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter

WHEN Zimbabwe Saints announced that it would be playing in the Zifa Southern Region Division One league two years ago, there was some belief that perhaps there’d be a turnaround at one of the country’s oldest football clubs.

But 12 games into the season, Chikwata has already had four coaches and are currently in the hunt for a replacement for Joseph Sibindi, who quit recently.

Sibindi had replaced Reginald Buhali, who had been holding the fort after the departure of Amini Soma Phiri and Philani Mabhena, who ditched the side during the start of the Wafa Wafa knockout competition late last year.

Sibindi’s departure was full of drama.

“The situation reached boiling point on Tuesday when Sibindi had a confrontation with chief executive officer Lloyd Munhanga in front of the players. The two almost exchanged blows and it took the intervention of Gibson Homela to cool the tensions.

“Since then, Sibindi has not set foot at training. It’s sad because all this happened after Sibindi had already quit and was just helping the team until they find a replacement,” said a Saints player.

Team manager Godfrey Paradza said: “I cannot comment on that. I have only arrived from Harare.”

Homela downplayed the magnitude of Sibindi and Munhanga’s confrontation.

“It was just a misunderstanding that got me surprised as well, but it didn’t escalate. We dealt with it amicably. Right now, I don’t have any answers, but I am going to meet the rest of the team as we speak to try and map a way forward, then, I will be in a position to comment further,” said Homela.

Chikwata travel to Hwange for a date with Chipangano at the Colliery Stadium tomorrow hoping for a miracle to upset the table toppers.

Southern Region Division One Fixtures

Indosakusa vs Ratanang (White City Stadium), Main Line vs Ciwu (Plumtree), Casmyn vs Binga (Turk Mine), ZPC Hwange vs Makhandeni (Ingangula), Indlovu Iyanyathela vs Talen Vision (Luveve), Ajax Hotspurs vs Mountain Climbers (White City Stadium B Arena), Hwange vs Zim Saints (Hwange), Bosso 90 vs Mosi Rovers, Quality Foods v Arenel (White City Stadium)

—@innocentskizoe