Manzini Wanderers’ turbulent season has taken another dramatic twist after the club parted ways with head coach Zenzele ‘Ace’ Dlamini less than a month after appointing him.
Dlamini’s short stint failed to deliver the turnaround many supporters had hoped for.
He took charge of just three matches, losing all of them and further compounding Wanderers’ fragile position in the MTN Premier League relegation battle.
His tenure began with a 0-2 defeat to Rangers, followed by elimination from the Ingwenyama Cup. Matters worsened last Sunday when the team suffered another 0-2 loss to Malanti Chiefs.
The string of disappointing results left the club’s survival hopes hanging by a thread.
Dlamini had replaced Gcina Dlamini and was brought in specifically to steer the team away from relegation danger.
However, tensions reportedly escalated after he described the task of saving the club as a ‘mission impossible’.
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The remarks did not sit well with the Wanderers hierarchy, who had entrusted him with precisely that responsibility — a challenge he had accepted upon taking the job.
Manzini Wanderers Public Relations Officer Sandile ‘Ntofo’ Dlamini said the team and coach had mutually agreed to part ways with immediate effect.
“The board of directors believes this is the right time for a change in leadership to achieve the club’s long-term objective of saving the team from relegation,” he said.
The club thanked Dlamini and his technical team for their professionalism and wished them well in their future endeavours.
‘Ace’ could not be reached for comment as his cellphone rang unanswered when tried several times yesterday.
Attention now turns to Nyanga Hlophe, who has been tasked with guiding the struggling side to safety.
He will work alongside the existing technical team of Stanford Ncube and Thokozani Mamba. With time running out and the relegation battle intensifying, Wanderers’ latest gamble must pay off quickly to prevent the team from slipping deeper into one of the darkest chapters in its history.
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In a bid to bolster their survival fight, Wanderers recently reinforced their squad with experienced players, including former Mbabane Swallows winger Wonder ‘Samba Jive’ Nhleko, Moneni Pirates’ Lwazi ‘Shumi’ Mamba and Sihle ‘Mbhalaza’ Mkhonta. However, the new arrivals are yet to inspire an immediate revival.
