Bosso, Caps Utd, Talen Vision angle for Sweswe
By Sikhumbuzo Moyo
Two Premier Soccer League sides Highlanders and Caps United as well as ambitious Zifa Southern Region Division One side Talen Vision are reportedly angling for former FC Platinum assistant coach Lizwe Sweswe, who parted ways with the reigning champions last week.
FC Platinum president Fabian Mashingaidze said in a statement the two parties had a mutual separation, although well placed sources said the three-time championship winning coach was pushed out of the system by Dutchman Pieter de Jongh, who allegedly accused Sweswe of undermining him.
The club initially wanted to redeploy Sweswe to the juniors, but that did not go down well with Sweswe, who felt he would have been disrespected considering what he had achieved with the club.
He helped lead the club to its third league title in a row and the Caf Champions League group stage.
Their qualification to the group stages of the Champions League came despite the club losing a number of experienced players.
Caps were left leaking their wounds on the last day of last season when Sweswe engineered their downfall to squeeze a 1-0 win over the Green Machine to lift FC Platinum’s third PSL title on the trot.
It is believed that one the Caps bosses Arthur Tutani is a huge admirer of Sweswe’s technical and tactical shrewdness and was particularly incensed by coach Darlington Dodo’s failure to land the big prize last season, despite all odds being on their side for the better part of the campaign.
“All the three teams have already had talks with Sweswe. Caps United have actually been on his case even before he left FC Platinum, but he seems to be reluctant to move to Harare. Highlanders, despite their denials that they were hunting for a coach, have also approached him and so have Talen Vision, who are eager to get promotion into the Premier Soccer League,” said a source close to Sweswe.
Talen Vision, who missed promotion by a whisker last season as Bulawayo City clinched the sole ticket, are under former Caps coach Mark Mathe.
Contacted for comment, Sweswe confirmed that a number of teams had approached him for his services, but refused to name the teams.
“I have spoken to some teams yes, but I wouldn’t want to name them now. I, however, haven’t made up my mind yet, as I want to rest for a while now, just to be with my family and outside football at least for a month. However, whenever I will make a decision I think my family and even myself will be more comfortable in our usual environment (Bulawayo) but you never know with life. We are coaches and football is our business,” said Sweswe. The Chronicle.
