Highlanders; What went wrong with Young Africans?

(This was the team team)

We played a brilliant 2-2 draw in Dar es Salaam and needed to see the video of the match we had played in Tanzania. 

That video could not be made available as it was meant for "pay-per-view" at a location in the western remote part of town, a certain Shisa Nyama. I have not seen the video until now.

One advantage we had in Tanzania was the input of the Simba Football Club coach, Jamhuri Kihwelo, a former national team captain and a friend I had met in Brazil.

While not forthcoming with the information I needed as to how they defended or attacked, he shed light to a few possible tactics like their formation and their most influential players. I must admit the challenge of working with Rahman Rush Gumbo as head coach, Willard Khumalo as an assistant and Ernest Maphepha the Manager. 

These people had great playing history for the club in their distinguished careers. Gumbo had a work routine that only I wanted to improve. It worked for him before and he was comfortable with it.

Our training programs and schedules were solely a case of balancing the technical and tactical jobs and choosing the correct peak periods not to burn out before the climax or hitting peak after the climax of each period.

Rush was solely responsible for the results but we lost our jobs at the same time, despite getting the results. There was no one to blame.

The new Highlanders environment and the size of the responsibility for me were overwhelming. I had been Gumbo's coaching instructor in his coaching courses and therefore could not deputize him. It was two bulls in the same kraal, never easy on job ethics.

On the return leg against Yanga, our preparations were sluggish and arrogant. We trained less and the input was very average. The suggestion to practise penalties was scorned at because as coaches, we did not give the Tanzanians any chance against us.

We camped just after Windemere for most of the 2 weeks and moved to Cresta Churchill the night before the match. It was a very late arrangement to move camp. 

During the match, the right winger made a few dangerous entries into the final third on the right, and delivered a few crosses. We failed to rectify the situation, even though we had identified it early enough. 

I remember Barry Daka coming near the dug out and advising of the same, that the winger must be dealt with. Before he sat down, the cross was delivered and a header score to the far post.

A duplicate move resulted in the second goal later in the half. Players got desperate and fans got frustrated. Impatience in the attack made it difficult to get a goal. Anxiety and disbelief consumed the players and their energy levels dropped. 

Loss of concentration and desperation resulted in a penalty, with 5 minutes of play left. The fans had enough and ran onto the field in protest. I do not believe the penalty was genuine but the fans could not take another goal well.

The violence that followed the 3-0 loss at home in the return leg led to the ban in the Africa Champions League by the Confederation of African Football, CAF.

How Coaching Highlanders Was A Bad Idea.

[caption id="attachment_2298" align="alignright" width="630" caption="Mortezza, Jimmy and Bob."][/caption]

If one is too young and tastes too much success too early, it can be too disastrous, especially if you like to have things too perfect and you have too much expectation of yourself. There was no doubt Highlanders FC needed to move a level up after the disappointing Sable de Batie heartache, in the Africa Champions League in the year 2000. They headed for another, exactly 12 months later. I had done my studies of African football.I had road-shows lecturing football and doing coaching courses. I had an academy and club to run and everything was in overdrive.

Amazulu Football Club Director, Delma Lupepe wanted to give me the job as Football Director at his club.I was recovering from KFA heartache because the academy could go ahead without a sponsor. Lupepe had lined up an official club car, a good salary and school fees for children at the prestigious private school.

The biggest problem there was his football executive committee. They liked Charles Mhlauri and even then, they did not accept to have all these pecks that Mhlauri was not afforded. As fate would have it, the day to finalise the contract, Lupepe had flown out for an urgent business meeting. At that point, Bosso had announced the coaching department line-up and I was still weighing my options. Money lost to passion and I had a good excuse to deny a huge contract when Lupepe came back after that weekend.

With Rahman Gumbo as head coach and Willard Khumalo as assistant, Ernest Maphepha was the Manager and getting into sync with all the people was not easy. The toughest part was always going to be compromising on the philosophies and different schools of thought. Gumbo had a work routine that only me wanted to change. It worked for him before and he was comfortable with it. It was solely a case of balancing the technical and tactical jobs and choosing the correct peak periods not to burn out before the climax or hitting peak after climax. Getting results was his baby, but then the line here was thin as you could imagine.  

Those moments were always interesting and challenging and were an education I got as much as I gave. The tact of dealing with players was one thing I got from Rahman. The only problem was that I went into it far too early and somehow unprepared for the way the system was set up. While my services were essential, starting at the top of a new environment for me was overwhelming, but then, I had been Gumbo's Instructor and could not deputise him. The compromise to have top-notch bulls in the same kraal was never going to be easy and we both lost our jobs. The Chairmen expected to have one towing the line of the other and it was not going to be possible. It was conceived that either the Technical Advisor is not good or the Coach was not taking advise.

The turning point of things was the trip to Tanzania for a Champions League fixture against Young Africans. We did our best to pull off a draw in Dar-es-Salaam and then assumed that we had the match wrapped up. While training preparation catered for the problems we encountered in Tanzania, during the match at BF, the same problem arose and despite our communication to have the situation rectified, nothing changed and the assumption was that the technical department was blind. This came from blind men.

My next job after that, was the International Olympic Solidarity Committee course on Youth Development for youth and women coaches as well as school teachers, one of the best programmes FIFA has, to develop junior coaches the game the world over. The head instructor was Mortezza , a FIFA Instructor. Ben Moyo, Nelson Matongorere, Jimmy Malomo formerly of Tanganda and Green Buffaloes and Bob Lines, then Coaches National Chairman were also in attendance.

It was a huge class that was graced by the presence of former Zimbabwe President Canaan Banana, who claimed to share my grandmother's roots because he could speak a little of my foreign language, and then ZIFA Chairman Leo Mugabe. Former Caps United coach, Geshon Ntini was still coach of Caps United under 18 team and showed the potential to be the coach he went on to become.

If I had taken the Amazulu job, who had pressure to win the league but no Champions League assignment, it was going to be a different ball game. Usuthu would have been treading on new ground and all of us would have been singing the same tune. There are no regrets for being Highlanders Technical Advisor but then, the very good lessons leant at that time were tied to the big rock and sunk into the sea by then Chairman, a great man and manager indeed. Were it not for the impulsive behaviour of James Mangwana Tshuma at that point, Bosso would have won the Champions League by now, actually, the following year.

How Coaching Highlanders Was A Bad Idea.

[caption id="attachment_2298" align="alignright" width="630" caption="Mortezza, Jimmy and Bob."][/caption]

If one is too young and tastes too much success too early, it can be too disastrous, especially if you like to have things too perfect and you have too much expectation of yourself. There was no doubt Highlanders FC needed to move a level up after the disappointing Sable de Batie heartache, in the Africa Champions League in the year 2000. They headed for another, exactly 12 months later. I had done my studies of African football.I had road-shows lecturing football and doing coaching courses. I had an academy and club to run and everything was in overdrive.

Amazulu Football Club Director, Delma Lupepe wanted to give me the job as Football Director at his club.I was recovering from KFA heartache because the academy could go ahead without a sponsor. Lupepe had lined up an official club car, a good salary and school fees for children at the prestigious private school.

The biggest problem there was his football executive committee. They liked Charles Mhlauri and even then, they did not accept to have all these pecks that Mhlauri was not afforded. As fate would have it, the day to finalise the contract, Lupepe had flown out for an urgent business meeting. At that point, Bosso had announced the coaching department line-up and I was still weighing my options. Money lost to passion and I had a good excuse to deny a huge contract when Lupepe came back after that weekend.

With Rahman Gumbo as head coach and Willard Khumalo as assistant, Ernest Maphepha was the Manager and getting into sync with all the people was not easy. The toughest part was always going to be compromising on the philosophies and different schools of thought. Gumbo had a work routine that only me wanted to change. It worked for him before and he was comfortable with it. It was solely a case of balancing the technical and tactical jobs and choosing the correct peak periods not to burn out before the climax or hitting peak after climax. Getting results was his baby, but then the line here was thin as you could imagine.  

Those moments were always interesting and challenging and were an education I got as much as I gave. The tact of dealing with players was one thing I got from Rahman. The only problem was that I went into it far too early and somehow unprepared for the way the system was set up. While my services were essential, starting at the top of a new environment for me was overwhelming, but then, I had been Gumbo's Instructor and could not deputise him. The compromise to have top-notch bulls in the same kraal was never going to be easy and we both lost our jobs. The Chairmen expected to have one towing the line of the other and it was not going to be possible. It was conceived that either the Technical Advisor is not good or the Coach was not taking advise.

The turning point of things was the trip to Tanzania for a Champions League fixture against Young Africans. We did our best to pull off a draw in Dar-es-Salaam and then assumed that we had the match wrapped up. While training preparation catered for the problems we encountered in Tanzania, during the match at BF, the same problem arose and despite our communication to have the situation rectified, nothing changed and the assumption was that the technical department was blind. This came from blind men.

My next job after that, was the International Olympic Solidarity Committee course on Youth Development for youth and women coaches as well as school teachers, one of the best programmes FIFA has, to develop junior coaches the game the world over. The head instructor was Mortezza , a FIFA Instructor. Ben Moyo, Nelson Matongorere, Jimmy Malomo formerly of Tanganda and Green Buffaloes and Bob Lines, then Coaches National Chairman were also in attendance.

It was a huge class that was graced by the presence of former Zimbabwe President Canaan Banana, who claimed to share my grandmother's roots because he could speak a little of my foreign language, and then ZIFA Chairman Leo Mugabe. Former Caps United coach, Geshon Ntini was still coach of Caps United under 18 team and showed the potential to be the coach he went on to become.

If I had taken the Amazulu job, who had pressure to win the league but no Champions League assignment, it was going to be a different ball game. Usuthu would have been treading on new ground and all of us would have been singing the same tune. There are no regrets for being Highlanders Technical Advisor but then, the very good lessons leant at that time were tied to the big rock and sunk into the sea by then Chairman, a great man and manager indeed. Were it not for the impulsive behaviour of James Mangwana Tshuma at that point, Bosso would have won the Champions League by now, actually, the following year.

How Coaching Highlanders Was A Bad Idea.

[caption id="attachment_2298" align="alignright" width="630" caption="Mortezza, Jimmy and Bob."][/caption]

If one is too young and tastes too much success too early, it can be too disastrous, especially if you like to have things too perfect and you have too much expectation of yourself. There was no doubt Highlanders FC needed to move a level up after the disappointing Sable de Batie heartache, in the Africa Champions League in the year 2000. They headed for another, exactly 12 months later. I had done my studies of African football.I had road-shows lecturing football and doing coaching courses. I had an academy and club to run and everything was in overdrive.

Amazulu Football Club Director, Delma Lupepe wanted to give me the job as Football Director at his club.I was recovering from KFA heartache because the academy could go ahead without a sponsor. Lupepe had lined up an official club car, a good salary and school fees for children at the prestigious private school.

The biggest problem there was his football executive committee. They liked Charles Mhlauri and even then, they did not accept to have all these pecks that Mhlauri was not afforded. As fate would have it, the day to finalise the contract, Lupepe had flown out for an urgent business meeting. At that point, Bosso had announced the coaching department line-up and I was still weighing my options. Money lost to passion and I had a good excuse to deny a huge contract when Lupepe came back after that weekend.

With Rahman Gumbo as head coach and Willard Khumalo as assistant, Ernest Maphepha was the Manager and getting into sync with all the people was not easy. The toughest part was always going to be compromising on the philosophies and different schools of thought. Gumbo had a work routine that only me wanted to change. It worked for him before and he was comfortable with it. It was solely a case of balancing the technical and tactical jobs and choosing the correct peak periods not to burn out before the climax or hitting peak after climax. Getting results was his baby, but then the line here was thin as you could imagine.  

Those moments were always interesting and challenging and were an education I got as much as I gave. The tact of dealing with players was one thing I got from Rahman. The only problem was that I went into it far too early and somehow unprepared for the way the system was set up. While my services were essential, starting at the top of a new environment for me was overwhelming, but then, I had been Gumbo's Instructor and could not deputise him. The compromise to have top-notch bulls in the same kraal was never going to be easy and we both lost our jobs. The Chairmen expected to have one towing the line of the other and it was not going to be possible. It was conceived that either the Technical Advisor is not good or the Coach was not taking advise.

The turning point of things was the trip to Tanzania for a Champions League fixture against Young Africans. We did our best to pull off a draw in Dar-es-Salaam and then assumed that we had the match wrapped up. While training preparation catered for the problems we encountered in Tanzania, during the match at BF, the same problem arose and despite our communication to have the situation rectified, nothing changed and the assumption was that the technical department was blind. This came from blind men.

My next job after that, was the International Olympic Solidarity Committee course on Youth Development for youth and women coaches as well as school teachers, one of the best programmes FIFA has, to develop junior coaches the game the world over. The head instructor was Mortezza , a FIFA Instructor. Ben Moyo, Nelson Matongorere, Jimmy Malomo formerly of Tanganda and Green Buffaloes and Bob Lines, then Coaches National Chairman were also in attendance.

It was a huge class that was graced by the presence of former Zimbabwe President Canaan Banana, who claimed to share my grandmother's roots because he could speak a little of my foreign language, and then ZIFA Chairman Leo Mugabe. Former Caps United coach, Geshon Ntini was still coach of Caps United under 18 team and showed the potential to be the coach he went on to become.

If I had taken the Amazulu job, who had pressure to win the league but no Champions League assignment, it was going to be a different ball game. Usuthu would have been treading on new ground and all of us would have been singing the same tune. There are no regrets for being Highlanders Technical Advisor but then, the very good lessons leant at that time were tied to the big rock and sunk into the sea by then Chairman, a great man and manager indeed. Were it not for the impulsive behaviour of James Mangwana Tshuma at that point, Bosso would have won the Champions League by now, actually, the following year.

How Coaching Highlanders Was A Bad Idea.

[caption id="attachment_2298" align="alignright" width="630" caption="Mortezza, Jimmy and Bob."][/caption]

If one is too young and tastes too much success too early, it can be too disastrous, especially if you like to have things too perfect and you have too much expectation of yourself. There was no doubt Highlanders FC needed to move a level up after the disappointing Sable de Batie heartache, in the Africa Champions League in the year 2000. They headed for another, exactly 12 months later. I had done my studies of African football.I had road-shows lecturing football and doing coaching courses. I had an academy and club to run and everything was in overdrive.

Amazulu Football Club Director, Delma Lupepe wanted to give me the job as Football Director at his club.I was recovering from KFA heartache because the academy could go ahead without a sponsor. Lupepe had lined up an official club car, a good salary and school fees for children at the prestigious private school.

The biggest problem there was his football executive committee. They liked Charles Mhlauri and even then, they did not accept to have all these pecks that Mhlauri was not afforded. As fate would have it, the day to finalise the contract, Lupepe had flown out for an urgent business meeting. At that point, Bosso had announced the coaching department line-up and I was still weighing my options. Money lost to passion and I had a good excuse to deny a huge contract when Lupepe came back after that weekend.

With Rahman Gumbo as head coach and Willard Khumalo as assistant, Ernest Maphepha was the Manager and getting into sync with all the people was not easy. The toughest part was always going to be compromising on the philosophies and different schools of thought. Gumbo had a work routine that only me wanted to change. It worked for him before and he was comfortable with it. It was solely a case of balancing the technical and tactical jobs and choosing the correct peak periods not to burn out before the climax or hitting peak after climax. Getting results was his baby, but then the line here was thin as you could imagine.  

Those moments were always interesting and challenging and were an education I got as much as I gave. The tact of dealing with players was one thing I got from Rahman. The only problem was that I went into it far too early and somehow unprepared for the way the system was set up. While my services were essential, starting at the top of a new environment for me was overwhelming, but then, I had been Gumbo's Instructor and could not deputise him. The compromise to have top-notch bulls in the same kraal was never going to be easy and we both lost our jobs. The Chairmen expected to have one towing the line of the other and it was not going to be possible. It was conceived that either the Technical Advisor is not good or the Coach was not taking advise.

The turning point of things was the trip to Tanzania for a Champions League fixture against Young Africans. We did our best to pull off a draw in Dar-es-Salaam and then assumed that we had the match wrapped up. While training preparation catered for the problems we encountered in Tanzania, during the match at BF, the same problem arose and despite our communication to have the situation rectified, nothing changed and the assumption was that the technical department was blind. This came from blind men.

My next job after that, was the International Olympic Solidarity Committee course on Youth Development for youth and women coaches as well as school teachers, one of the best programmes FIFA has, to develop junior coaches the game the world over. The head instructor was Mortezza , a FIFA Instructor. Ben Moyo, Nelson Matongorere, Jimmy Malomo formerly of Tanganda and Green Buffaloes and Bob Lines, then Coaches National Chairman were also in attendance.

It was a huge class that was graced by the presence of former Zimbabwe President Canaan Banana, who claimed to share my grandmother's roots because he could speak a little of my foreign language, and then ZIFA Chairman Leo Mugabe. Former Caps United coach, Geshon Ntini was still coach of Caps United under 18 team and showed the potential to be the coach he went on to become.

If I had taken the Amazulu job, who had pressure to win the league but no Champions League assignment, it was going to be a different ball game. Usuthu would have been treading on new ground and all of us would have been singing the same tune. There are no regrets for being Highlanders Technical Advisor but then, the very good lessons leant at that time were tied to the big rock and sunk into the sea by then Chairman, a great man and manager indeed. Were it not for the impulsive behaviour of James Mangwana Tshuma at that point, Bosso would have won the Champions League by now, actually, the following year.

African Safari: How Highlanders FC Lose It.

[caption id="attachment_1168" align="aligncenter" width="570" caption="The Beautiful Highlanders People"][/caption] 

Preamble. 

I started my Technical Advisory duties at the biggest club of all times, very shortly before an African safari that would end in pain, more so knowing when it did, that it was indeed an end of good times. I was still to know all the elders, the players and even the executive before all things came to a very sudden halt. The leadership was great and the expectations were too high and there was no time at all. What I pride myself in that, I had 2 winners' medals within months, both from hammering Dynamos - the Dairiboard Cup and the Independence Trophy. 

Sable de Batie. 

I watched Sable De Batie of Cameroon play Highlanders FC at Barbourfields Stadium. I was very much concerned, afraid but funny enough people were in jubilation. It was justified of course when a team is blasting in 3 goals without a reply, its nature. De Batie played a 1-4-4-2 but each link man playing as a defender with his own sweeper. The attackers ran their socks off being exempt of all defensive duties; an excellent way of playing away from home. You know it is common to get the wrath of people who do know you and I was being looked suspiciously, some people even saying how come I am not celebrating when the team is playing good. It was going to be an argument I was not going to win. 

Sad Loss. 

A few distinguished gentlemen who knew who I was, took me to task as to my worries. I told them that all will be well only if Sable De Batie were performing by chance. It was the days I was conducting coaching courses, and the very next weekend, I analysed that game with my class. The following day, we heard the results from Younde. Sable De Batie had scored the 3 goals they needed and won on penalties. 

Yanga Away Match. 

The biggest problems of my at Bosso were time and Biya. Thulani Ncube suffered a knee injury which eventually ended his career. There is no doubt on his influence on and off the pitch. Before I was even familiar with the operations of the club, Bosso had a date with Young Africans of Dar es Salam, Tanzania.  We took Biya to Dar es Salam despite his injury. There was a slim chance of him recovering and playing which we took. This became the biggest bone of contention in the technical staff. We decided against using him so he could be even better in the return leg. It became a game that was based on good defensive behaviour complemented by intelligent attack. 

On their part, the hosts depended on wing play. Our left side of the defence was not capable to contain their right-winger. That was made worse by Brito Gwere's poor cross collection. The organisation was bad in the absence of Biya. Getting a very favourable 2-2 draw was the worst thing to deal with. We should have lost that match. 

Yanga Home Match. 

The celebration of the draw was extrapolated to permutations and combinations to my disgust. There was too much credit and patting on the back. The executive and the technical department lost focus, without any measures to be working on a possibility of playing either Costa do Sol of Mozambique or Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa. On their part, the players saw themselves already shopping at Carlton Centre. 

Technically, our preparations were totally careless. We did not get our schedules followed to the letter as per instruction. I remember even personally forcing a penalty taking session with everybody saying there is no need as we will be fulfilling an ordinary fixture. As it turned out, the best we could have done that day would have been a 2-2 draw. We could have needed penalties. 

The executive did not help either. There was the biggest issue brewing behind closed doors. My understanding was that the video of the match that I had requested to be available, was to take time to be available. The idea was to make it a pay-per-view session elsewhere. As a way of making money, it was some entrepreneurial skills on their part. Sadly though, the tape got 'lost' somewhere until today. From there, as they say, the rest is history.  

This was the beginning of my end of my short stint.

[polldaddy poll="3535679"]

African Safari: How Highlanders FC Lose It.

[caption id="attachment_1168" align="aligncenter" width="570" caption="The Beautiful Highlanders People"][/caption] 

Preamble. 

I started my Technical Advisory duties at the biggest club of all times, very shortly before an African safari that would end in pain, more so knowing when it did, that it was indeed an end of good times. I was still to know all the elders, the players and even the executive before all things came to a very sudden halt. The leadership was great and the expectations were too high and there was no time at all. What I pride myself in that, I had 2 winners' medals within months, both from hammering Dynamos - the Dairiboard Cup and the Independence Trophy. 

Sable de Batie. 

I watched Sable De Batie of Cameroon play Highlanders FC at Barbourfields Stadium. I was very much concerned, afraid but funny enough people were in jubilation. It was justified of course when a team is blasting in 3 goals without a reply, its nature. De Batie played a 1-4-4-2 but each link man playing as a defender with his own sweeper. The attackers ran their socks off being exempt of all defensive duties; an excellent way of playing away from home. You know it is common to get the wrath of people who do know you and I was being looked suspiciously, some people even saying how come I am not celebrating when the team is playing good. It was going to be an argument I was not going to win. 

Sad Loss. 

A few distinguished gentlemen who knew who I was, took me to task as to my worries. I told them that all will be well only if Sable De Batie were performing by chance. It was the days I was conducting coaching courses, and the very next weekend, I analysed that game with my class. The following day, we heard the results from Younde. Sable De Batie had scored the 3 goals they needed and won on penalties. 

Yanga Away Match. 

The biggest problems of my at Bosso were time and Biya. Thulani Ncube suffered a knee injury which eventually ended his career. There is no doubt on his influence on and off the pitch. Before I was even familiar with the operations of the club, Bosso had a date with Young Africans of Dar es Salam, Tanzania.  We took Biya to Dar es Salam despite his injury. There was a slim chance of him recovering and playing which we took. This became the biggest bone of contention in the technical staff. We decided against using him so he could be even better in the return leg. It became a game that was based on good defensive behaviour complemented by intelligent attack. 

On their part, the hosts depended on wing play. Our left side of the defence was not capable to contain their right-winger. That was made worse by Brito Gwere's poor cross collection. The organisation was bad in the absence of Biya. Getting a very favourable 2-2 draw was the worst thing to deal with. We should have lost that match. 

Yanga Home Match. 

The celebration of the draw was extrapolated to permutations and combinations to my disgust. There was too much credit and patting on the back. The executive and the technical department lost focus, without any measures to be working on a possibility of playing either Costa do Sol of Mozambique or Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa. On their part, the players saw themselves already shopping at Carlton Centre. 

Technically, our preparations were totally careless. We did not get our schedules followed to the letter as per instruction. I remember even personally forcing a penalty taking session with everybody saying there is no need as we will be fulfilling an ordinary fixture. As it turned out, the best we could have done that day would have been a 2-2 draw. We could have needed penalties. 

The executive did not help either. There was the biggest issue brewing behind closed doors. My understanding was that the video of the match that I had requested to be available, was to take time to be available. The idea was to make it a pay-per-view session elsewhere. As a way of making money, it was some entrepreneurial skills on their part. Sadly though, the tape got 'lost' somewhere until today. From there, as they say, the rest is history.  

This was the beginning of my end of my short stint.

[polldaddy poll="3535679"]