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LET IT BE A VIOLENCE-FREE WEEKEND

14/03/2014 04:48:00 BY SIBUSISO MANANA (Mbabane Swallows acting CEO)

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We are headed for what promises to be a weekend of fireworks in the SwaziBank Cup Kusenjalo Washa-Thu quarter-finals’ matches scheduled for this weekend.

The games will be played tomorrow and Sunday at Somhlolo National Stadium. Tomorrow, your favourite team has a date with fellow elite league side Midas City, while Young Buffaloes play against First Division League team, Imphumelelo.
On Sunday, Moneni Pirates will host another First Division team, Mbabane Highlanders, while Green Mamba will play Royal Leopard on the same day.

These are all interesting games that promise to be thrilling. The history of the SwaziBank Cup is such that there are no easy games. They are only easy on paper. Anything can happen on both days.
Mine on this special Friday is to invite not just Mbabane Swallows followers but the entire nation to watch the quarter-finals’ matches. Everyone should make an effort to go to the stadium. I know our loyal supporters will be there in numbers tomorrow.

They will also support the games on Sunday because they are such a wonderful bunch of supporters who love the game with a passion.
I want to make a special appeal to everyone to ensure it is the perfect family weekend. There should be no violence at the stadium irrespective of the results on the field of play. It is after all a game, which we say is beautiful. Let us keep it like that.

A week to forget

Having said that, let me hasten to add, Swai Swai that the outgoing week has been one to forget for me personally.
I was disappointed that we missed out on the second award of E20 000 for the team with most supporters in the opening of the Lungisa Funeral Plan accounts.

While I congratulate the winners, Green Mamba, I want to urge our supporters to double their efforts and reclaim their place. We need to win the next one to send the message loud and clear on which side is the most supported in the country. Surely it cannot be this week’s winners or the others now would it?
Let us do it Swai Swai if not for ourselves, let it be a way of saying thank you SwaziBank for what you are doing for football.

Rest in Peace ‘Yekini’

Yesterday morning, we woke up to shocking news as the Mbabane Swallows family when we got news that one of our sons, Sipho ‘Yekini’ Mngadi was no more.
He was found dead next to his home at Mbekelweni on Wednesday afternoon. What a tragedy! What a loss! We are dumbfounded at such sad news.

Mngadi played for this great team with pride and distinguished himself as a lethal striker. He was a regular partner for Burundian striker Saidi ‘Chocolate’ Shabani. We read in the Times that both players scored over 20 goals between them in the 1994 soccer season.

Sipho’s younger brother, Mandla was also the team’s goalkeeper around that time and we used to call him Kotoyi. We are saddened by what has befallen our family and even though Sipho later quit to play for Moneni Pirates, we all know that his heart was always red. He spent the best days of his career playing for Swallows.
We will always miss him and we pray that God comforts his family, relatives and friends at this sad time. We also pray that God enables him to Rest In Peace!
Hamba kahle Yekini!

City will be tough
but we will be ready

As stated in the opening line, tomorrow, your favourite team takes on Midas City at Somhlolo National Stadium.
It will be a very tough encounter. Our games against City are always very tough. You will recall that they were among the teams that beat us last season when the league was drawing to a close. We will not be fooled by their position in the log. They are in this stage of the tournament because they deserve it. Last year they went as far as the semi finals of the tournament. We know they are hungry for glory. They want to do better than the last time and will surely give us a tough time.

Our preparations have, however, been going on well. We have an injury-free squad that is ready to kick our opponents out of the tournament. The only thing left now is for our supporters to show their commitment by coming in numbers for the game. You know how your presence motivates our boys to perform above themselves.
I will talk to you again next week Swai Swai, I love you all! Shaka akashayeki!