ZAMBIAN coach Tennant Chilumba says he is committed to his Super League side Power Dynamos where he has a further three years after Highlanders approached him to fill in the post left vacant by his fellow countryman Kelvin Kaindu. SPORTS EDITOR
Chilumba, who led Hwange to a top-four finish in 2011 and the second round of the Caf Confederation Cup, has also seen duty at Zvishavane-based giants FC Platinum.
He says he did not apply for the Bosso job currently held by Mark Mathe, but was called by Highlanders confirming reports that appeared in the local media last week.
“I have never applied for the job and they contacted me,” Chilumba told MTN Football yesterday.
“My contract with Power is still on for the next three years.
“My focus is with Power Dynamos and everything I am doing now is for Power Dynamos because I want to win something with them.”
Besides Chilumba, Highlanders have received CVs from South Africa and Brazil while a number of local coaches are also under consideration.
Former coaches Rahman Gumbo and Madinda Ndlovu, who are both in Botswana, and Mkhuphali Masuku and Philani Ncube — formerly of How Mine — are also being proposed for the club when the season ends.
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But what is clear is that no appointment will be made this year, or in January until the elective annual general meeting takes place next year.
The Highlanders family, according to sources, wants to avoid the Kaindu situation where he was appointed by Themba Ndlela just before he lost elections to Peter Dube. Even though Dube had his own coach in mind, a watertight contract had been signed.
To show that the current executive was not particularly interested in Kaindu despite two second-placed finishes and a Mbada Diamonds Cup triumph, they weaned him of his trusted lieutenants in Bekithemba Ndlovu and Tembo “Chokri” Chuma.
Ndlovu was replaced by Mathe while club legend Peter Nkomo came in for Chuma.
Chuma is now at ZPC Kariba and is likely to produce another goalkeeper of the year in Tendai Hove, who has been in brilliant form the whole season.
There have also been serious issues of indiscipline at Bosso with Charles Sibanda and Joel Ngodzo given written warnings after the TM Pick n Pay Challenge Cup fracas while Innocent Mapuranga was stripped of the captaincy.
Njabulo Ncube was suspended for two weeks and docked his salary.
Two weeks back, Sibanda was back in the dock after an embarrassing incident where he went to sit on the terraces after being substituted during the loss to Chicken Inn. He has since apologised and has been forgiven.
Mathe took over at Bosso after Kaindu stepped down on September 28 following a 1-3 home loss to ZPC Kariba at Hartsfield, amid scenes of violence that eventually saw Highlanders being fined by the Premier Soccer League.
For the whole of October, Highlanders failed to win a match, falling 0-1 to Harare City, 0-4 to Caps United, 0-1 to Chicken Inn and 2-3 to Hwange as they dropped from fourth place to seventh.
They eventually won a match on Monday when they edged already-relegated Chiredzi 2-1 to climb back into sixth position with 42 points, the same as Hwange as the fight for a top-four place intensifies.
This Sunday, Highlanders make the trip to Shabanie Mine before winding up the season with a home tie against Chapungu.
Fixtures Saturday : ZPC Kariba v Dynamos (National Sports Stadium SS), Chicken Inn v Buffaloes (Hartsfield ),
Sunday: Caps United v Harare City (National Sports Stadium SS), Shabanie Mine v Highlanders (Maglas), Bantu Rovers v How Mine (Hartsfield),Hwange v FC Platinum(Colliery), Chiredzi v Triangle United (Chishamiso), Chapungu v Black Rhinos (Ascot )
Suspended players match day 29: Victor Bangira (Chapungu), James Jam, Munyaradzi Diro-Nyenye (Harare City), Liberty Chakoroma, Lloyd Katongomara (Buffaloes), Hardlife Zvirekwi (Caps United), Munyaradzi Mungadze, Takabva Mawaya, Gilbert Zulu (Hwange), Hardlife Mawundi (Triangle), Marvellous Dikinya (Shabanie Mine), Milton Kurewa (Black Rhinos), Brian Mbiriri (Chicken Inn), Wisdom Mutasa (FC Platinum), Tawanda Mpungu (Chiredzi)
