HIGHLANDERS supporters feel the executive has let them down this season which has also led to poor performances by the once formidable side.
BY THANDIWE MOYO
Bosso have become a pale shadow of their former self as they have been beaten three times in succession leaving them on position 10 with 25 points out of a possible 63.
They lost to FC Platinum 1-2, WhaWha 0-1 and Chicken Inn 2-3.
Since May 24 when they beat WhaWha in their first encounter, Highlanders have won once, against How Mine 1-5, which gave supporters hope of turning around.
They have drawn five times in the last 11 matches and lost four times.
“There is a huge difference between Highlanders when there were the likes of Zenzo Moyo and now,” said Senzelwe Ncube of Nketa 8.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“There is no improvement. We feel there is discord between [Bongani] Mafu and the administration. Mafu could be able to do well and the problem might be the administration or the other way round. It is not clear,” he said.
Ncube said Highlanders are 10th on the log and if Mafu was relieved of his duties, no major changes will happen to the team.
Khaliphani Ndlovu of Harare also echoed the same sentiments, saying the whole Highlanders system was flawed and that they need people with new ideas to take over running of the club.
“The problem starts at the top. We do not understand why a team that is well-sponsored is struggling to sign players. Mafu is not really the problem, but the executive. They do not want to admit that they have failed and leave it to someone who can run the club better,” he said.
Ndlovu said that the executive had no ambition and they were running out of ideas.
He said Highlanders is a big brand that should be at par with the likes of Orlando Pirates of South Africa, TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Al Ahly of Egypt.
“Highlanders should be a continental powerhouse, but at this stage nothing can be salvaged from the team. It’s going on a downward spiral. If the coach is to be changed now the team will sink deeper,” he said.
Ndlovu added that, while most of the blame should go to the executive, Mafu had his own share to carry.
“This season we were not expecting much from him, but that at least he be in the top four,” he said.
Sithembiso Dube of Rangemore said: “The executive and the players are not committed towards the performance of the team. You can see that the players do not exert themselves beyond the coach’s expectations and while the coach is to blame for some things you cannot always point the finger at him. Mafu’s biggest undoing is that he fails to read the game and loses at the most crucial times.”
She said the team usually loses the match in the second half because they are not committed.
