By Fungai Muderere
Just days after they plotted and executed the downfall of Ngezi Platinum, bringing the Chibuku Super Cup to Barbourfields Stadium, the temperamental pair of head coach Hendrik Pieter de Jongh and club chief executive officer Nhlanhla Bahlangene Dube twice nearly treated Highlanders players to some free boxing show as they had physical confrontations in front of their charges, B-Metro Sport has learnt.
According to players, in what might prove to be a damaging public relations disaster, the first time the two “pugs” almost came to blows was at a local restaurant a few hours before Highlanders took on Bulawayo Chiefs at Barbourfields Stadium on Wednesday 11 December.
“The whole argument bordered around why Dube had engaged in a meeting with Bulawayo Chiefs coach Thulani Sibanda a few days before the match. Highlanders are in need of the services of some players from Chiefs camp and the feeling from the coach was that the chief executive officer could have met Sibanda after our duel. As a result, in full glare of us players and other club officials there was a harsh exchange of words between the two at the restaurant,” said one of the Bosso’s senior players.
Interestingly, Bosso went on to lose that match against Amakhosi with Amahle ending the Bulawayo football giants’ 12-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
Four days later, moments before their last game of the season, which they drew two all against relegated Chapungu at Ascot Stadium, Bosso players and some technical team members reportedly shuddered in disbelief when Pieter de Jongh and Dube charged at each other and nearly engaged in a punch-up after violently handling each other.
“Babambana ngama collar bra (they held each other by the collar). This was after the coach had openly told everyone that he did not want anyone else in our dressing room besides members of the technical team and players. However, Dube insisted on going to inspect whether the dressing room was clean or not. It was not long that the coach sought to chase out Dube from the dressing room. This resulted in a wrestle that could have resulted in a very big brawl,” said another player.
Contacted for a comment Highlanders public relations manager Ronald Moyo dismissed the two reported incidents as nothing, but hearsay.
“There is nothing to that effect that happened. I can’t comment any further because it is all coming from the grapevine,” said Moyo.
Dube ignored repeated calls from B-Metro. B-Metro
