Times Of Swaziland: WELCOME BACK  NKUNZEMNYAMA

WELCOME BACK  NKUNZEMNYAMA
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BY Lwazi's Pandora's Box on 11/03/2014 03:55:00


My dearest readers... Great events shape the lives of institutions and those who
are part of them.
The Chinese are still affected by the Tiananmen Square massacre; the Scots are
still affected by the Culloden. To bring things back to football, Liverpool are
still affected by Hillsborough and Juventus by Heysel and Bradford City by the
fire. These great and terrible events become part of the way people see the
world. We are all, to an extent, defined by the terrible events we survive. That
is true of the private events that involve us.
The opening paragraph, dear reader, is an extract from an article published two
years ago in England’s Daily Mail written by legendary sports writer, Jeff
Powell.
His immortal words ring truer today in the context of Swazi soccer and in
particular, in the imminent return of the country’s most successful club,
Mbabane Highlanders, to the elite league, needless to say, where they belong. On
the unforgettable Thursday afternoon of May 9 2013, exactly 5:06pm, history
books were re-written as one of the oldest teams in the country, Mbabane
Highlanders suffered the ignominy of being relegated from the premier league for
the first time in their 62-year history. They were relegated on that fateful day
without even kicking a ball.
Midas City had beaten Royal Leopard 2-0 at Somhlolo National Stadium to confirm
the unthinkable. “UNBELIEVA-BULL” screamed the Times of Swaziland back page
headline on the Friday edition of May 10. In many ways, it was a poignant
moment. The year 2013 itself was an unforgettable year and a year of the
‘unthinkables’, so to speak. The world’s icon, Nelson Mandela passed on;
Mbabane Swallows won their first treble in the club’s 65-year history; for the
first time we saw a Pope resign as Pope Benedict XVI stepped down on February 11
prompting comedian Trevor Noah to say the economy is so bad even God is
retrenching *heek, heek, heek*; South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs won their first
league title in eight years; Manchester United’s longest serving Manager, Sir
Alex Ferguson stepped down after 27 years in charge of the English side:
Margaret Thatcher passed on. It was a year that was. Fast forward to 2014, the
‘Black Bull’, trigonometrically or geometrically speaking or even Algebra,
are just mathematically back in football’s first table. ‘Inkunzemnyama’,
love or loathe them, are just 90 minutes and three points way from returning to
the big boys’ league.
I have three words for Highlanders this Tuesday morning – WELCOME BACK
NKUNZEMNYAMA. Welcome back to a world where you can look at yourselves in the
mirror again. Welcome back to a place where you can hold your head up high and
say you have done your legions of supporters, who have stood by you in good and
bad times, proud. Welcome back to football’s top table. Welcome back to
bathing in the adulation of your supporters whose colourful support was sorely
missed in the elite league.
You have made the Premier League of Swaziland (PLS) an orphan, the National
First Division league, feel loved again. You have brought back excitement in a
league whose first prize cheque of E60 000 feels like a baby’s jelly tots to
the E670 000 Premier League champions cheque.
Thirteen wins in 17 games; three draws; one loss; 35 goals scored and a measly
13 goals conceded is proof enough that you have turned your bitter lemons into
lemonade.
In his book, ‘Never give up on your dreams’, Norman Nel, writes that, “The
tide always turns when it is at its lowest ebb.”
Highlanders’ relegation was never pleasant but it was a necessary ingredient
for success because as Norman Nel observes; “Adversity is negated by the
challenge it creates. It teaches you to turn your weaknesses into strengths.”
Times Sunday columnist, Musa Hlophe even wrote in the past week’s edition
that, “I am happy to see the log which tells me that only an unknown and
imaginable happening can stop you now from regaining and re-occupying your place
in the top flight league. There are important lessons to be learnt from this
case. The lesson is that crisis can be turned into opportunities.”
Well said Mr Hlophe and all Highlanders supporters can rest assured, no weapon
formed against the ‘Black Bull’ now can succeed.
‘Inkunzemnyama’ are just 90 minutes and three points away from confirming
what is now in ‘black and white’ – the profound colours of the club –
that they are back in football’s top table. The lessons, hopefully have been
learnt. The mistakes cannot be repeated. Thanks to the good leadership skills of
current head honcho Bheki ‘Rubber’ Simelane, who inspite of facing a lot of
resistance and lack of support in some corners, has managed to steer the club to
calmer waters. Faced with many debts, disillusioned players, internal squabbles,
‘Rubber’ has brought calm and direction to the club. The results are there
for all to see.
My two cents worth advice to him is that only a quarter of the job is done. He
needs to buy six or more quality players to survive in the Premier League. He
needs to step up the gear in terms of the administration personnel around him
because the Premier League level is no child’s play. He has done very well to
bring back the belief, winning mentality and unity in the club. To the team
patrons and elders, let him be. Let ‘Rubber’ continue his crusade as he best
know how. The interference that came to characterise the club and led to its
relegation has to be banished in the dustbin of history.
If indeed they agreed to give him carte-blanche to run the club for five years,
let it be. He seems to know what he is doing. We would not be honest with
ourselves if we said we did not miss Mbabane Highlanders in the Premier League.
We missed the big derby. Any league in the world without a derby is like food
without salt; an Astronaut without Oxygen; Bob Marley without the Wailers. So,
welcome back Mbabane Highlanders to ruffle a few feathers in the Premier League
– figuratively and literally speaking!
Welcome back ‘Nkunzemnyama’, where you rightfully belong...