BADARA RESIGNS!

MBABANE – Hardly 24 hours before facing tough Young Buffaloes tonight, Malian coach Alou Badara has abandoned the hot coaching seat at Mbabane Highlanders.

Badara handed in his resignation letter yesterday morning. This comes in the wake of the club’s fans baying for his blood on Saturday for the second time in four games after results did not go their way. Also, the team’s directors had a lengthy meeting with the coach on Sunday night but its details are scanty. What is clear though is that Badara was the subjected the meeting in which the decision on his future could have also been taken but was not. However, Badara took some time to think after this meeting before deciding to quit his job yesterday morning after 10 league games and one Charity Cup match in charge. “I have resigned from the club as of this morning (yesterday) as you know that there was a meeting last night in which I was also present along with the directors. It was a lengthy meeting we had and after considering how the situation is, I decided this morning to resign which I have done already,” he explained.
Questioned if the decision was taken in the meeting or influenced in any form, Badara said it was ‘a personal decision’ he took without being pressured to do so. “I wouldn’t lie and say I was pressured to resign but I took a personal decision after analysing the situation in front of me. I’m grateful to have been afforded this big opportunity to coach a team of Highlanders’ calibre and for that I thank the directors and management,” he said.

Badara would not clearly state the reasons behind his decision but made it clear that Sunday night’s lengthy meeting also played a part without elaborating. Even when pressured to divulge what they discussed in the meeting, he insisted it was his own decision. “As coaches, we are taught that when it’s time to shut the door, you simply must shut it and that was that for me. I had to leave and I have left. I can wish Highlanders all the best and thank the players for working with me,” he said. He also explained that he had signed a two-year contract with the club’s directors but he decided to cut it short by handing in his resignation to the directors, yesterday morning. He also allayed fears that some of the players in the team who came with him, like Goshen, among a few others, would also want out. He said those were professional players who he will tell to focus in their game and play for Highlanders with full commitment. Meanwhile, Badara was assisted by Christian Thwala who will be in charge of tonight’s epic clash while a replacement is expected before end of the week, sources have said. South African well known coach Professor Ngubane has been linked to the hot seat.

The black and white ensemble’s Zweli Jele (Board of Directors Chairman) confirmed in a press statement that Badara was gone but was diplomatic about his replacement. “Mbabane Highlanders and its head coach Alou Badara have agreed to separate amicably. The directors would like to thank Mr Badara and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours,” reads his statement. Meanwhile, Badara is the latest coach to go jobless as last week, it was Green Mamba who announced the sacking of their head coach Harries ‘Madze’ Bulunga and later announced Vovovo coach Caleb Ngwenya as the replacement. Ngwenya was in charge of Green Mamba when Badara’s team lost 3-0.

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