Methembe appointed women’s coach in USA

By Sikhumbuzo Moyo

Highlanders’ legend and former coach Methembe Ndlovu has been appointed associate head coach of United States women’s football side Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.

The club’s head coach is another former Bosso coach, Bobby Clark’s daughter, Jennifer.

An associate coach is just one step above an assistant coach and one step below a head coach.

Ndlovu spent the 2020-21 season as assistant men’s coach at Penn State University where he helped the Nittany Lions to nine wins, two losses and two draws and an appearance in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Sweet 16.

Penn State also reached the championship game of the Big 10 Tournament before falling to Indiana on penalties after a 1-1 tie in regulation time.

“We are thrilled to have Methembe join our coaching staff. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience that will help our programme continue to grow. With his years of playing and coaching at top levels around the world, you know he would be an asset to any programme, and we are thrilled that he chose to join our team,” Clark told cmsathletics.org.

The 2006 Bosso championship winning coach has been leading a quiet life following a yet to be confirmed acrimonious separation with his long-time colleague at Bantu Rovers Wilbert Sibanda.

Capped 12 times by the Warriors between 1997 and 1999, Ndlovu began his coaching career in 2002 as a player assistant coach at Cape Cod Crusaders of the Premier Development League in the United States.

He took over as Cape Cod’s head coach the following year and led the Crusaders to a national title, before joining the Indiana Invaders in 2004 as the general manager and head coach.

He concluded his playing career with the Invaders, playing 27 games in the 2004-2005 season and was named the PDL National Coach of the Year, while also volunteering with the staff at Notre Dame.

After the 2005 season, he retired as a player and returned to Zimbabwe and took over the coaching reins at Bosso and led them to their fifth title since the turn of the millennium.

The Bulawayo giants are yet to win another league title since that triumph. The Chronicle