HIGHLANDERS head coach Bongani Mafu’s performance comes under spotlight tomorrow at the club’s mid-season review meeting amid fresh allegations of discord between the gaffer and players ahead of their next Premier Soccer League match against perennial nemesis Dynamos in Harare next weekend.
BY FORTUNE MBELE
A highly-placed source on Thursday evening told NewsDay Sport that a section of Highlanders players recently held an unofficial meeting where they resolved that they would religiously attend training but play their own game as the Uefa B badge gaffer appeared to be clueless in his strategy.
“The players have been meeting and they have decided that they play their own game to win and feed their families. They agreed that the coach does not know what he is doing,” the source said.
The impeccable source said the players had planned to revolt against the coach but a senior player (name supplied) had reined them in and they agreed to attend training, pretending to listen to the coach but play their own game that they think would make them get positive results.
The source said the meeting had culminated in a strike by Bosso players pressing for payment of their winning bonuses last month ahead of their league match against FC Platinum which they drew 1-1 at Mandava.
Indiscipline has reportedly started rocking the Bosso camp once again with chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede on Thursday afternoon telling journalists at a Press conference that they had indicated to the technical team not to allow unruliness to creep in.
But it is Mafu and his technical team’s performance that will hog the limelight at tomorrow’s meeting after the mentor failed to garner 18 points in the first 10 matches, which was one of the targets set for him.
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With 10 matches played, Highlanders had only picked up 14 points, out of a possible 30 with another concern being Bosso’s performance at their fortress Barbourfields Stadium where they have only won two times when they were at home, beating Hwange (1-0) and Whawha (2-0) and away beating new boys Tsholotsho FC 1-0.
They have lost three times at Emagumeni, losing to Chapungu (0-1), Caps United (0-1) and away 1-2 to pacesetters Chicken Inn. Bosso also drew with Harare City and How Mine in a 1-1 score lines at home at Barbourfields.
Their only victories away have been against new boys Dongo Sawmill (1-0) and Flame Lily (3-0) with draws against Buffaloes and FC Platinum, losing their first game of the season 0-2 to ZPC Kariba in Harare.
Another source said Mafu’s target is a top three finish at the end of the season, good performance in cup tournaments and ending Dynamos’ dominance over Bosso.
Tomorrow’s meeting is also likely to discuss the bus that Bosso bought with the assistance of long-time benefactor Tshinga Dube, which is in town but is yet to pass Zimbabwe Revenue Authority regulations and police clearance to hit the road.
Another thorny subject to be tabled is the issue of the reviewed membership fees which have been increased to $50 from $30 for ordinary members, $150 from $80 for life members with the latter having being requested to fork out $300 each to boost club coffers, which could be paid in installments of $100 over three years.
