MBABANE - A rare model in the local football landscape!
Mbabane Highlanders, Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) side led by Durban businesswoman Shauwn ‘MaMkhize’ Mkhize, took a forward-thinking step in their quest for sustained success by appointing former Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Brilliant Khuzwayo to their technical team.
Announced last month, Khuzwayo's arrival sees him listed on their team sheets as Team Manager, a position he shares with Makhosonkhe Gama. This co-management arrangement marks a notable departure from the traditional single-manager structure commonly seen in Eswatini and many other African leagues.
Club Public Relations Officer (PRO) Sifiso Zwide Ndwandwe was unequivocal in clarifying the role, where he stated that Khuzwayo has been appointed strictly as Team Manager, with no involvement in goalkeeping coaching despite occasional sightings of him warming up players like first-choice goalkeeper Sisekelo Dlamini.
"He was appointed as the team manager and no, he does not assist with goalkeeping, he is just the team manager," Ndwandwe confirmed.
The decision to implement co-management, where two individuals share the responsibilities of the team manager role—highlights Highlanders' commitment to modernising their operations.
In football, team managers typically oversee a wide array of non-coaching duties, coordinating logistics, managing player welfare, liaising between the coaching staff and club executives, handling administrative tasks and ensuring smooth day-to-day running. Assigning these to a single person can lead to overload, particularly in resource-constrained environments.
By dividing these duties between Khuzwayo and Gama, Highlanders stand to gain several strategic advantages. Khuzwayo's extensive experience in South Africa's Premier Soccer League (PSL), where he played under intense scrutiny at two of the country's biggest clubs, brings a broader perspective on professional standards, player motivation and performance optimisation.
Gama, with his established local knowledge of the Eswatini football landscape, can maintain continuity in league-specific matters such as fixture scheduling, regulatory compliance and relationships with domestic stakeholders.
This complementary pairing allows for a more balanced workload, potentially reducing errors, enhancing decision-making speed and introducing innovative ideas from diverse backgrounds.
Such co-management models, though rare at the senior level, have historical precedents in football. Successful examples include Coventry City's 1987 FA Cup triumph under joint managers John Sillett and George Curtis, who shared leadership effectively during a memorable campaign.
Other instances, like Bolton Wanderers' brief experiment in the 1990s with joint appointments, demonstrated how shared authority can foster collaboration when roles are clearly defined.
In contrast, less harmonious cases—such as Liverpool's short-lived Roy Evans and Gérard Houllier partnership in 1998—state the importance of mutual respect and delineated responsibilities to avoid confusion or power struggles.
Mbabane Highlanders Team Managers Makhosonkhe Gama and Brilliant Khuzwayo. (Pic: Melusi Mkhabela)