Highlanders to officially unveil assistant coach, welfare manager

HIGHLANDERS will officially unveil their assistant coach and welfare manager on Monday ahead of the start of their 2015 pre-season training on the same day.

Bosso's chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede confirmed the unveiling ceremony but declined to reveal the identity of the new recruits, set to take over from Mark Mathe and Willard Khumalo.

Goalkeepers coach and club legend Peter Nkomo is likely to keep his job.

"We'll have the unveiling ceremony on Monday, unfortunately I'm not in a position to let the cat out of the bag now on who we've settled for," said Gumede.

Bantu Rovers coach Mandla Mpofu is, however, odds on favourite to finally land a Bosso post as assistant with some sections of the media linking former defenders Netsai Moyo and Dumisani Nyoni to the welfare manager position. New head coach Bongani Mafu was involved in the recruitment exercise as the Peter Dube-led executive followed worldwide trends where the technical manager chooses his own backroom staff.

While Gumede declined to reveal the identity of the new additions, his statement somehow gave a slight hint on their men.

"There was a meeting of minds with the incoming guys as we sorted out a few things with their former employers," said Gumede, a suggestion that the new members of the technical bench were still actively employed somewhere.

Meanwhile, Bosso start their 2015 season on Monday with a brief trial session that will be conducted by Cosmas Zulu and Mafu.

Gumede said the players that would be taken through their paces are those that were on loan to some clubs as well as promoted juniors.

"Tsano has been conducting trials with the blessings of the club but he was clearly told that the final decision will lie with the coach so on Monday the coach will be sitting on the terraces observing before making his decision," said Gumede.

On the rest of the players that were part of the 2014 squad, Gumede said an olive branch had been extended to some of the players that the club had already shortlisted for expulsion for various reasons.

"The letters had been written and were only awaiting my signature but when the list was submitted to our human resources committee, it was turned down.

"They said if the coach fails, he'll argue and say the executive chose players on his behalf and we saw sense in that so all the players will be there and the coach will make his own choice on who he wants to keep or offload," said Gumede.

The club, Gumede said, would nevertheless be clear to the coach on players that had disciplinary issues and had warnings written to them. "We also had a player who went with the national team to Swaziland and while there went to a night club.

"He was on national team duty yes but as a club we took up the issue because it tarnishes the image of Highlanders," said the Bosso chief executive officer.