RELOCATION TALK FOR CAPITAL CITY GIANTS... PERMANENT SA CAMPS FOR ‘BULL’ - ALLY

EZULWINI – It appears that star-studded Mbabane Highlanders have abandoned their Ezulwini training base for Pretoria.

This follows the club training outside of the country in the last three weeks ahead of its MTN Premier League games. Their South African Managing Director (MD), Chief Ally Kgomongwe, had been hands on with their preparations for matches alongside his coaches Solly Luvhengo and Dumsani ‘DU’ Makhanya.

“That’s why we have had to cross to SA every start of the week until Friday or Saturday, depending on our fixture date. We started the full-time SA training ahead of Green Mamba and have not stopped since,” an impeccable source said while suggesting the MD was happy with the facilities that side than here and now wanted to make it permanent. It is understood that Highlanders have used Wits University facilities and physiotherapists for their players’ training but Kgomongwe aims to have his own pitch and camp rooms for both his teams, Ally’s Tigers (SA) and Highlanders.

“We have an ambition to play in the CAF Champions League next year so our preparations start as early as now. If we train in the best facilities then we can play the football we want and we’ll be ready to cope with the SA teams should we draw them in CAF,” Kgomongwe said. He was asked about his intentions to permanently relocate the Mbabane giants who long abandoned the capital city for Ezulwini Sports Ground.

“We have one of the best training grounds in Eswatini, but with the targets we have, we are happy to use the South African facility to prepare for our second round matches. If anything, I’m working on making our training in SA permanent for each and every match. I bought a new farm recently and construction work is almost through in as far as accommodation rooms for Tigers and Highlanders are concerned,” Kgomongwe explained.

He said they would consult all the relevant parties in their quest to have their training based in Pretoria weekly until the end of the season. Kgomongwe said while they were six points behind leaders Young Buffaloes, it was only a matter of time before they drew level with the army team. Highlanders play tricky rookies Nsingizini Hotspurs this Sunday away in Nhlangano at the King Sobhuza II Memorial Stadium, in what is a must-win for them.

Meanwhile, ailing defending champions Royal Leopard played the CAF Champions League last year before dropping to the CAF Confederation Cup, where Highlanders were knocked out by South Africa’s Royal AM. A Highlanders patron, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they supported Kgomongwe as he wanted nothing but high performance from the team. The black and white ensemble, which is third on the standings left Eswatini on Tuesday to Pretoria for yet another training week there and are expected to be back between today and tomorrow.

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