The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
NEW Tsholotsho FC head coach, Joseph Sibindi is relishing the challenge of leading the club that is making a return to Southern Region Division One.
The Tsholotsho job presents Sibindi a chance to put his coaching credentials to test despite having previously had stints with defunct sides, Bantu Rovers, Quelaton and Nust. Sibindi, a Nust Sports Science lecturer will be building the squad from scratch after players that featured for the side in 2017 deserted the team after going through financial troubles last year.
Sibindi said his focus would be on ensuring they have a competitive team that can hold its own in Division One.
“It will be totally a new team from the one that was there last year because only two players remained from that team with the rest leaving. However, we have a juniors team that was already playing in Tsholotsho so we have managed to pluck about eight talented players that we can groom and I believe they can hold their own in Division One. We also have several seasoned D1 campaigners who are training with us and hopefully we will sign some of them to complete our squad,” he said.
Tsholotsho were relegated from the Premiership last year after a two year dance in the top flight. Sibindi said while there have been no targets set he is coming up with a side that will compete for everything on offer in the league.
After tasting Premiership action, the Tsholotsho faithful are looking forward to making a quick return to the PSL but Sibindi said competition for the championship will not be easy. He has, however, committed himself to ensuring that his side will be among the top teams.
“It won’t be an easy ride remember there are sides that are strong in the league among them Hwange, Makomo, ZPC Hwange and Talen Vision which has recently been holding its own and showing it can mount a formidable challenge for the title.
However, I believe we will be among the top sides but this will obviously depend on other factors such as finances, social, technical and how we approach things tactically. Preparation will be key, so we won’t leave anything to chance,” he said.
Sibindi said he will also take the chance to put into practice the theory he teaches at Nust in soccer modules, sports psychology and sports management.
He said he will also delve into more football research including player development and coaching. Sibindi holds Level 1, 2 and 3 coaching badges and Caf C, B, A and a Scottish C licence while academically his holds a Master of Philosophy in Sports Science and Coaching and is a Phd candidate at the University of Johannesburg studying soccer.
