The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
SUSPENDED Highlanders’ assistant coach Amini Soma-Phiri and goalkeepers’ coach Cosmas “Tsano” Zulu’s fate will be finalised today during an executive meeting.
Soma-Phiri and Zulu were suspended with full pay on 16 June when the club’s leadership felt their personal clashes were negatively impacting the team. Highlanders acting chairman Modern Ngwenya said they wanted to bring the long drawn out saga to finality.
The duo was facing charges of misdemeanour and appeared before an independent disciplinary tribunal early this month. Although Highlanders has kept the lid on the outcome of the hearing, it is believed that the two could have been found guilty after they were requested to submit their mitigation after receiving verdicts of the hearings on 12 July.
Speaking at the club’s weekly Press conference on Thursday, Ngwenya said he was not at liberty to disclose the verdict or sentence handed down by the disciplinary committee, adding it will only be made public after today’s meeting. He said the executive will consider the determinations made by the disciplinary committee and decide whether to adopt them or not. Ngwenya said they are likely to adopt the recommendations from the committee as they are.
“The final decision lies with the executive and the DC judgments are more of advisory but the last word lies with us. However, I think we are going to adopt and implement the recommendations as made by the DC. The CEO will hold a Press conference to announce the decision on Monday,” he said.
Ngwenya refuted social media reports that they would be replacing the two coaches. Soma-Phiri and Zulu are said to have engaged in a heated argument that resulted in them exchanging insults in front of players on their way from Mandava Stadium after their match against FC Platinum on 28 May. The final straw was the argument the two had in full view of fans on the bench when Highlanders embarrassingly lost 0-3 to Black Rhinos at Morris Depot in Harare.
Bulawayo lawyer Zibusiso Ncube led the independent disciplinary tribunal that heard charges against the suspended duo. Ncube, a former member of the Zifa Southern Region disciplinary tribunal heard the case together with former Highlanders secretary-general Andrew Tapela and Bosso life member Innocent Batsani Ncube and the trio made recommendations to the club’s executive committee.
The club felt people that are not part of Highlanders’ structures would not be conflicted since they will be handling issues concerning the coaches for the first time.— @rasmthembo
