According to the Swazi Observer,the crisis that has besieged giants Mbabane Highlanders took another twist yesterday when six key players including new signee Steve ‘Chippa’ Lekoelea stayed away from the team’s training session.

However, Lekoelea was present during the team’s morning training session, which was staged at the Somhlolo National Stadium. Apparently, transport issues forced the South African born midfielder to miss the afternoon session, as he could not be picked by the team amidst the problems rocking the black and white outfit, ahead of the Africa Cup first leg clash scheduled for the Somhlolo National Stadium on Saturday.

The other players, midfielder Vuyani Mazibuko, defenders, Banele Dlamini and Eugene Dlamini, reserve goalkeeper Sebenele Malaza and team skipper Mlungisi ‘Madzala’ Ngubane stayed away from the training session under unclear reasons.
Ngubane over the weekend had a serious bust-up with the team’s coach, Happy ‘Messiah’ Simfukwe, who sidelined him from the team that faced and played to a 1-all draw against Manzini Wanderers at the Somhlolo National Stadium.
Insiders at the ‘Bull’s kraal told this publication yesterday that the training session was dominated by mostly foreign players, who are not registered with the team.

“You would have thought it was pre-season because most of the players, who were training are not registered with the club. This is very serious considering the fact that we are playing an important game on Saturday. Tomorrow (today) is Wednesday and time is already against us.
“We are asking ourselves if we would be able to form a team in the first place. One wonders whether the coach would field all those unregistered players because they were the ones that were training,” our source said.
None of the players reached for a comment were willing to talk about their absence from training yesterday.

Team PRO Dumisani Sibandze on the other hand said he was busy attending to some of the pressing issues and as a result, missed training.
“I will verify with the managers if what you are telling me is true. At the moment, nothing has reached my office, but I will definitely touch base with the relevant people to find out what is happening,” he said.
Highlanders host Uganda’s Victors FC in the first leg clash of the Orange Confederations Cup.  The game will kick off at 3.30pm.

MBABANE Highlanders’ Management Committee (MC) long passed a vote of no confidence on Zambian coach Happy ‘Messiah’ Simfukwe, this publication has reliably been informed.

In fact, what was supposed to be the last straw was the unexpected 1-2 loss to Umbelebele Jomo Cosmos in a midweek fixture that was played last week at the Mavuso Sports Centre.

Impeccable sources at Highlanders told this newspaper yesterday that a decision was taken by the MC to sack the coach after that loss. However, some of the team’s directors are said to have jumped to the coach’s defence.
“The MC was clearly frustrated after observing that most of the team’s senior players were also not happy. He (coach) made a big mistake by failing to acknowledge that every team has senior players. Our senior players are against him now and one wonders, who will protect him? They do not want to have anything to do with him,” our source said.

Highlanders PRO Dumisani Sibandze, however, refuted the reports, saying as an MC they stand by the now unpopular Zambian mentor. “As far as I know, he is our coach and we have always supported him as the MC,” he said.
Comments could not be obtained from Simfukwe as his mobile phone rang unanswered at the time of going to press.