Highlanders FC vs Jomo Cosmos - Return Leg?

(Highlanders Football Club vs Jomo Cosmos Football Club at Johannesburg Stadium - Pic by Busani Mthombeni.)

After a successful hosting of Zimbabwe's former football powerhouse, Highlanders FC, Jomo Cosmos Ezenkosi are unofficially interested in reciprocating the deal. Jomo Sono, owner and coach of Cosmos is reported to be interested in playing a return fixture at Emagumeni, koNtutu.

It has been a match that has exposed Tshilamoya's lack of talent and depth. The strength of the team, or lack of actually, is the talk of Johannesburg, and will surely remain so for a really long while. My guess is that the technical department know of their problems but can not milk talent from nowhere. It is however imperative that all stakeholders take the bull by the horn.

Themba Ndlela's Executive Committee must stand up, source funds and pay the players good money. There must have a structure that paves way for proper junior development. Asking Ali Baba to coach the youth is not a youth policy. It is just hiring a coach. Documents must show a programme and timeline of things to be achieved, and how the achievements will come by. It must set out Ali Baba's mandate and encourage him to get where he needs to recruit players. If players have to come from out of town, it must state where they will stay and how they will be fed and schooled. To the members, such a policy is not a secret. They must be able to access it.

The technical teams has to pull its socks. While the team has an expatriate for coach, it is amazing how the assistants at Bosso have been around many other expatriates before Fathy. If they do not learn, get expatriate assistants and even the executive.

Frankly, the coach is not earning small money. Bosso can not be paying so much cash for so little performance. If it costs so much money for that bad job, why is the Executive not paying a local coach as much for the same substandard product? Is it true that Bosso cannot get coaches who can learn once and for all instead of learning forever and ever and ever and ever?

Fans must rally behind the boys at all times. Those who saw the match, they give the supporters a perfect10 out of 10 for the spirit and the noise. Well done Mthwakazi, Zulu omhle and it must not end there. You will know there are those who will not stop spending their time calling the team names. Most of those who do so, are neither paid up members or their subscriptions are in arrears.

A crisis calls for cool heads and cooperation. Going forward, things will change and the team will take its rightful place. At least, the crowd was a very good advertisement for the Bosso brand for those who were sitting in the corners looking for business opportunities and sponsoring the team.

Coming back to the possible return leg, it is an essential exposure for players to engage a different style and temperament of the game. It gives them confidence to play international opposition, no matter how big or small. It is my hope there will be better things to come, especially if potential sponsors see the interest the fans have in the team.

Zimbabweans who were not in the Johannesburg will experience the atmosphere of old and must do their bit by going to the stadium. The verve of old will not be imported for them. They must fill BF. It will be a chance for home fans to say, if you need us 'Feel us, we are here'.

Let us not get ahead of ourselves. Mjomane has to confirm first that he really wants this or not. The dates and venues will be confirmed. By then, I may have a lot of technical data and information for you. That is what I like, talking diski, not polotico.

Therefore, angiyeke indaba zabantu.