Times Of Swaziland: Raphael to lead Malanti against Pirates

Raphael to lead Malanti against Pirates
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BY NTUTHUKO DLAMINI  on 11/05/2013 02:25:00


MBABANE – Malanti Chiefs management has appointed senior player Raphael
Ntimane to be in charge for the MTN League game against Moneni Pirates tomorrow
at Somhlolo National Stadium.
This was confirmed by the club Chairman Dumsani Gumedze after the team was left
without a coach in the absence of assistant coach Earnest Mavuso. The national
Under-23 assistant coach, who had been placed as stand in coach, did not report
for training during the past week following the suspension of head coach Kenny
Ndlazi.
Gumedze said to save the situation; they decided that the captain drills the
team in preparation of the tricky clash. He said they have full confidence on
the player as he had been the one in charge of the team during  preseason.
Ntimane is assisted by Secretary Bongumusa Mdluli in preparing the team.
“We are not taking this game very lightly because our intention is to finish
the league in second place. We have occupied this position for quite some time
which could be very unfortunate to lose it in the last game,” he said.
The chairman said he was very disappointed by the assistant coach’s conduct of
not reporting for work as he was not affected by the suspension.
“I personally called Mavuso to clarify that his position in the team was not
affected. But, there is nothing much we could do if he personally decided
otherwise,” he said.
Mavuso explained that he could not make it back to the team because of the way
he was addressed by the management. “As the decision to suspend the technical
bench was taken in a more formal set up in the presence of everyone including
the head coach so it was going to be proper to reverse it in a similar set up.
This could avoid assumptions that I was aiming at overthrowing the head
coach,” Mavuso said.
Gumedze, in response, said Mavuso was supposed to take his word even without
calling a meeting as he is the one who hired him in the first place.