Times Of Swaziland: IN AN UNEXPECTED MOVE:  : ‘BIRDS’ SUSPEND ’KEEPER NYAWO

IN AN UNEXPECTED MOVE:  : ‘BIRDS’ SUSPEND ’KEEPER NYAWO
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Mengameli Mabuza on 09/02/2024 12:45:00


MBABANE – Mbabane Swallows have reportedly issued a warning and suspended
goalkeeper Qiniso ‘Kati’ Nyawo for misconduct.
The Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) 2023 Trade Fair Cup Goalkeeper of the
Tournament has been absent from the Caleb Ngwenya-led Mbabane Swallows team in
the last three games. His last involvement with the team was early last month,
during an MTN Premier League match against Denver Sundowns at Mavuso Sports
Centre, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
According to recent developments, Nyawo has been suspended from team activities
until further notice. This suspension reportedly stems from a conflict with the
Goalkeeper Coach Bright ‘komari’ Nxumalo last month. “The issue between
Nyawo and goalkeeper coach Bright arose when Nyawo failed to inform Nxumalo
about his absence from a training session last month.
“Nyawo told the head coach of the club, Caleb Ngwenya, that he was injured,
but he did not communicate this information to Nxumalo, who is responsible for
overseeing the goalkeepers in the club. This lack of communication between the
player and the goalkeeper coach is believed to have contributed to the
disciplinary action taken against Nyawo,” the source said.
One of the players, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Swallows
goalkeeper was still barred from participating in team activities yesterday. The
goalkeeper was seen watching from the sidelines, while the team prepared for
their Ingwenyama Cup quarter-final game against MTN National First Division
(NFD) side Pigg’s Peak Rangers.
Training
When contacted by this publication, the Umkhonto KaShaka goalkeeper stated that
he was not in a position to speak to the media at that time and referred all
questions to the club. “Please direct your inquiries regarding my situation to
the club. It is true that I am currently not participating in the team’s
training sessions,” he said briefly.
Meanwhile, Swallows Public Relations Officer (PRO) Knowledge Ngwenya confirmed
that the goalkeeper was currently not involved in team activities but clarified
that he had not been suspended. “Swallows did not suspend Nyawo, but he is
undergoing internal disciplinary measures for a corrective measure,” he said.
The suspension of a goalkeeper is not an unprecedented occurrence in football. A
notable example is Kaizer Chiefs’ Itumeleng Khune, who recently faced
disciplinary action from the team. The Soweto giants suspended him and revoked
his club captaincy following internal investigations into alleged disciplinary
transgressions, casting a shadow over his illustrious career with the team as he
enters the final seven months of his contract.
Reports suggested that Khune arrived at Chiefs’ Naturena base in Soweto for
training under the influence of alcohol. While the club has not explicitly
confirmed the details of Khune’s actions, the decision to suspend him and
remove his captaincy implies a level of truth to the reported incident.
The suspension of a goalkeeper is a serious matter in football, often indicating
a significant breach of discipline or professional standards. The situations
involving both Khune and Nyawo underscore the importance of maintaining high
standards of conduct for players, both on and off the field.