FORMER Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Bantu Rovers have said Thulani Sibanda, recalled to Bulawayo Chiefs following Rahman Gumbo’s reassignment to the club’s academy, still has a running contract with them that ends on December 31.
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Tshintsha Guluva spokesperson Wilbert Sibanda yesterday said he was surprised to read in the media that Thulani was rejoining his erstwhile club Chiefs as he was still contracted to them to end of the season.
Sibanda said Rovers were due to meet yesterday evening over the coach and would be issuing an official statement on the youthful gaffer who guided Quelaton to the PSL in 2011.
“I have not read his resignation letter. As far as I am concerned he is still our coach. We have not heard from him. I just read it in the newspaper that he is rejoining Chiefs. We are actually meeting tonight (last night) and we will be discussing the matter. He has a contract with us that runs until December 31. We will be issuing an official comment tomorrow (today) after our meeting,” Sibanda said.
After arriving in from Bulawayo on Monday from Victoria Falls where he was attending a Caf C Licence coaching course, Thulani told Southern Eye Sport that Chiefs had called him while he was in the resort town and he was due to meet them, but was not aware what the agenda was.
On being asked if he had been recalled to Chiefs, Thulani said he was happy at Bantu Rovers. Yesterday, the young coach appeared to have had a change of heart and said he had received his letter of reappointment from Chiefs and will be starting work this morning.
“The contract with Bantu has not been binding. We were in agreement that I was just assisting and guiding them to the national league. I was just advised by Chiefs that I had been recalled last night (Monday) and I am starting work tomorrow morning (today),” Thulani said.
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The former Quelaton coach had won seven successive matches for Chiefs since the beginning of the season and after losing 0-2 to Black Boots and playing a draw with Ntabazinduna, he was reassigned to the academy after which he opted out and joined Bantu Rovers.
Gumbo took over the reins and his demotion appears to have been precipitated by the 4-0 loss to Black Boots on Saturday.
It was the former Warriors gaffer’s fifth loss at the helm allowing Black Boots to close the gap on the log leaders to two points with five matches to end of the season.
Gumbo reportedly also received a letter reassigning him to the academy of the team that he co-owns with Bulawayo businessman Lovemore Sibanda.
