The Sunday News
HIGHLANDERS’ captain Ariel Sibanda was allegedly left out of the starting line-up in last week’s disastrous clash against Caps United in Harare for openly shedding tears over the departure of coach Kelvin Kaindu.
Sources within the Bosso camp alleged caretaker coach Mark Mathe could have decided to give Njabulo Nyoni a starting berth as a way of fixing Sibanda for his close relationship with the departed Zambian coach.
“When Kaindu left Ariel cried because they were close but this seems to have not gone down with Mathe because there is absolutely no reason why he put Ariel on the bench. Remember Ariel was recently appointed captain and he has been in good form so we all suspect he could have been left out for expressing his emotions when Kaindu left,” said the impeccable source.
Mathe, however, denied the allegations saying all decisions he made were to ensure the team came out tops, but the opposite was true.
“I think Highlanders being the big club it is will always attract talk from various quarters and there have been many rumours going around since Kaindu’s departure which are not true but speculation from people,’’ said Mathe.
“I made the team selection because I thought the players would be the best on the day for the team. I was never influenced by that. I am focused on the coming games and I won’t be wasting time attending to the rumours being spread around,” he said.
