The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Reporter
AS the Zifa Southern Region Division One race goes to the wire, with the title contest seemingly a two-horse show, little attention has been given to the exploits of championship aspirants Talen Vision’s coach, Mkhuphali Masuku.
Mr Cooper, as Masuku is affectionately known in the football circles, has gone for over a year without tasting defeat.
Yes, that’s correct, the former AmaZulu, Highlanders and Warriors defensive midfielder last tasted defeat on 18 August 2018 at the hands of the now defunct Tsholotsho.
The two nil defeat at the hands of Tsholotsho was Mr Cooper’s second of the season with his first being a rude awakening to the country’s second tier league at the hands of Bosso 90 on 23 June.
The Trukumb Mining Enterprises-sponsored side was outsmarted two nil by Highlanders’ developmental outfit through goals from Darlington Munkuli and Mustapha Phiri.
The ex-Highlanders, Caps United and Harare City gaffer took over from Slovakian expatriate Miroslav Nemec as the head coach of the ambitious outfit with Xolani “Skweya” Nkundlande and Saul “Soso” Ndlovu as his two assistants.
“Since I took charge together with Skweya we have only lost twice and that was last year. I remember our first loss was against Bosso 90 the same week we were appointed. I however, don’t want to dwell much on past success because we still have a bigger task ahead of us,” said Masuku.
Talen Vision have made their intentions of becoming a competitive side and gaining promotion into the elite league known. They acquired the services of former Highlanders steely defender Douglas Sibanda, Adolf Muganyi, Adrian Banana and former Bosso fringe goalkeeper Nedric Madeya and later boosted their team with Obadiah Tarumbwa from Chicken Inn and Moses Majika from Bulawayo Chiefs.
These new acquisitions all with Premiership League experience has made Talen Vision, a very formidable side and to all and sundry, its feat is no fluke.
Though there are still games to be played, the championship has taken a turn to become a two-horse race between the current log leaders, Talen Vision and former Premiership side Bulawayo City. However, with the arsenal at Talen Vision’s disposal, Amakhosi’s attempt for a quick return into the Premiership has been no easy ride.
Ironically Talen Vision’s feat under the tutelage of Masuku has been as entertaining to the club’s president Khumbulani Nkomo, its fans and hordes of sympathisers as comedian and actor Mark Curry’s cast of the early 90s Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper.
“We are very excited with the feat that has been achieved by the team. It’s no mean achievement to go for a year without tasting defeat. We have watched the side’s brand of soccer becoming more and more exciting and all credit goes to Cooper and of course all the other members of the technical team,” said Nkomo.
Talen Vision’s dominance of the southern region league reminiscent of the resurgent of the once mighty AmaZulu, which was bankrolled by business mogul Delma Lupepe, which made football fanatics fill up Luveve Stadium to the rafters at a time when Bosso had hit turbulent times.
So fierce was the competition in the second tier league then, with teams like Kismet, Corrugated, Shu-Shine and Olivine giving the expensively assembled Usuthu a good run for their money.
“Promotion into the Premier League is now within reach but we are not putting ourselves under pressure because it’s not our priority at the moment. As we have always said we have a five-year strategic plan and if we are to be promoted next season that will be a bonus,” said Nkomo.
Last season the team finished third with 55 points behind the defunct Tsholotsho who were on 58 while Hwange amassed 72 points to make an early return to the elite league after a season in the wilderness.
Nkomo said the acquisition of seasoned players was solely for the purposes of coming up with a competitive side from which their juniors can gain experience from.
