Times Of Swaziland: AHEAD OF TOUGH LEOPARD TEST, IT’S ... CALEB BOOST FOR ‘BIRDS’

AHEAD OF TOUGH LEOPARD TEST, IT’S ... CALEB BOOST FOR ‘BIRDS’
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Sanele Jele on 10/12/2024 07:21:00


MBABANE – After missing one match, Mbabane Swallows Head Coach Caleb Ngwenya
is poised to return for the upcoming clash against Royal Leopard, tomorrow.
Ngwenya reportedly resigned amid a leadership crisis involving Princess Lungile
and the Absalom Ngwenya faction. Absalom leads the current management while the
princess is the purported owner of Swallows.   The coach’s resignation was
largely due to difficulties in preparing the team, as many players were not
attending training sessions and even threatened to skip matches.
This situation was compounded by the fact that the team were reported to be back
with Princess Lungile, while Caleb had been appointed by the original committee.
However, the handover did not occur as expected, with Princess Lungile citing
concerns over the team’s debts of over E2 million. This left Caleb in a
difficult position, as the takeover was withdrawn after he had already resigned.
The returning management committee subsequently engaged with him.
According to sources close to Swallows, the coach will be available for the
match against Royal Leopard tomorrow at Mavuso Sports Centre at 6pm. During the
post-match comments, stand-in coach Musa Mamba also hinted  on Caleb’s return.
“We played well as Swallows. We exceeded expectations, which were lower than
what people anticipated. We recognise that Nsingizini have become a new rival
for us, as they play with great intensity. Despite not training for an entire
month before facing a team of Nsingizini’s calibre, we commend the management
and players for managing to honour the game,” Mamba stated.
Training
He noted that they began training on Thursday, with some players joining on
Friday and the rest arriving on Saturday.  “We trained for these three days.
The reason we did not perform at our usual level is that we lacked training, and
fatigue and endurance were catching up with us,” he explained. Mamba also
mentioned the impact of Caleb’s absence on the team. “The absence of the
coach has affected us, leading to some unease in our play. We are confident that
he will return and help us improve. By Wednesday (tomorrow), when we play, we
will have a stronger team.”
When contacted yesterday, Coach Caleb stated that he had no comment regarding
the news of his return. Meanwhile, Swallows Public Relations Officer (PRO)
Knowledge ‘Bhambo’ Ngwenya, remarked that if these reports were accurate, it
would be excellent news. He was requested to verify the matter with his
superiors but had not returned by the time this report was compiled. Coach
Alexio Sigion of Nsingizini, on the other hand, remarked that a positive aspect
of their recent performance was that they did not concede any goals. However, he
acknowledged that they were struggling to convert their chances and stressed the
importance of hard work to compete effectively.
Championship
He emphasised their goal of achieving the best results possible and striving for
the championship, adding that the team played as if they were in a domestic
league. Swallows are currently in second place after 10 matches, having
accumulated 20 points. They have four games remaining before the conclusion of
the first round. Ngwenya played a pivotal role in steering Swallows to glory in
the MTN Premier League last season. He also successfully led the team to compete
in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League, where they were
eliminated by the 2016 CAF Champions League winners, Mamelodi Sundowns, just one
step shy of the group stages.