With Highlanders yet to officially announce the return of former coach, Hendrick Pieter De Jongh, to take over from sacked Zambian gaffer, Kelvin Kaindu, it remains to be seen if the Dutchman will put the Bulawayo giants in a respectable position with a few games remaining to the end of the season.
Bosso has struggled even more since Kaindu’s departure in June, with interim coach, Try Ncube, having only one win in eight games, playing three draws to Kwekwe United, Triangle and Ngezi Platinum Stars.
Under Ncube, Highlanders has suffered four defeats to MWOS, Scottland FC, CAPS United and TelOne.
Highlanders are on position nine with 29 points, still in just about the same spot when Kaindu was given the boot in June.
It is close to a month now since De Jongh arrived in Bulawayo, but has been nowhere near the club’s training sessions or the dugout as he is yet to obtain his work permit.
He has been on the terraces watching Bosso lose to CAPS United and TelOne and draw with Ngezi Platinum.
Last week, reliable sources indicated the Dutchman would get his papers on Friday, but that was not to be.
Highlanders chief executive officer, Denzil Mnkandla, said De Jongh could be available for the next away league game against Bikita Minerals.
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“We are still waiting for his work permit to come out," Mnkandla said.
"It could be out this week.
"There is a chance that we might have him on the bench at the weekend, but you are aware that we don’t have control over these processes."
He added: "We just wait for what Immigration will say.
"The delay could have been due to the two-day holiday last week."
De Jongh has reportedly been given a four month contract to see off the season and sources say Highlanders will adevertise for a new head coach next season.
The script looks almost similar as in 2019 when De Jongh came in at about the same time with Bosso remaining with 11 games and positioned in the middle of the log-standings.
He replaced club legend Madinda Ndlovu, who had left a few months earlier for better offers in Botswana and his assistant, Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu, was elevated to interim head coach.
Highlanders ended that season on position seven with 46 points when FC Platinum won their third consecutive title.
Chicken Inn were runners-up and CAPS United were on the third spot.
On arrival in the country in 2019, De Jongh beat Dynamos in the first round of the Chibuku Super Cup and went on to win the silverware with a 1-0 win over Ngezi Platinum Stars at Barbourfields Stadium.
But in the 11 league games that remained, despite losing only one game to Bulawayo Chiefs, Bosso ended the season on the seventh spot.
De Jongh was offered a contract for the following season, but he took flight and joined FC Platinum. Bosso then settled for British citizen Mark Harrison.
However, in 2020, all football activities were suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic scourge and Harrison left the country and headed back home to the UK.
Harrison is said to be still interested in the Highlanders’ job.
With the advent of the well-sponsored teams in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League, pacesetters Simba Bhora, Scottland FC on the second spot and MWOS on position three with FC Platinum, Ngezi Platinum and Telone chasing, big clubs like Highlanders, CAPS United and Dynamos have struggled in the league of late, with the former staring relegation in the face.
Dynamos have since engaged Kaindu to plot the fading giants’ survival.
