Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
IT has been like a seesaw in recent seasons for relegated Castle Lager Premier Soccer League side Hwange Colliery Football Club.
More like now you see them, now you don’t — being relegated in one season and coming back the next — with the trend repeating itself for several of the past seasons.
Yet they were once a permanent feature in the Castle Lager Premiership roaster.
Times have definitely changed for Hwange, who were relegated again last week after ending a miserable campaign in a manner that has become common to the success-starved coal-mining community.
Hwange were demoted for the third time in the last four seasons they have played top-flight football. This qualifies them as the yo-yo club of Zimbabwean top-flight football, as they now hardly survive a season without getting axed. Somehow, they always find a way back to the big stage.
But the inconsistencies in the last few seasons could be a sign of deep-seated problems, as hinted by former club coach Bongani Mafu. The challenges on the pitch could point to larger administrative flaws.
Hwange has had a high turnover of coaches, with a lot of recycling also happening over the years.
Mafu, who was sacked by the Nairos Deredzai executive last year, took to Facebook last week and blamed the club’s woes on the management.
“I was jettisoned earlier in the season. My assistant won one game against then-bottom-of-the-log Yadah, while my other assistant and myself were at a course in Tanzania,” he said.
“When we got back a week and half later, ‘Dr Chairman’ gave us letters of indefinite suspension, while the team engaged on an upward tide, as he called it then.
“Well, they took a nosedive as they got rid of our younger players plan and brought in old horses who seem to have tired after two or three games.”
Apparently, when Mafu and his then-assistant Try Ncube were suspended, the team was sinking due to poor results.
But Mafu believes Hwange, in its current setup, will never be able to stand the heat of top-flight football. He suggested there was no miracle new coach Rodwell Dhlakama could have performed to save the team, despite resuscitating Hwange’s hopes when he was appointed during the season.
“Poor Dhlakama joined a sinking Titanic,” Mafu said. “He tried, but it was too late. Feel sad for the local young players who never got to get a sniff.
“Maybe clubs should also reshuffle the executives who let teams get relegated. Why do they survive to continue siphoning money in Division One, making boys travel at 1am for a game on the same day, then return to Hwange? So annoying.”
Formed in 1940, Hwange have a rich football tradition.
They are one of the four teams — alongside giants Dynamos, Highlanders and CAPS United — that have managed to survive the test of time over decades of top-flight football.
The club has won its fair share of honours, bagging the Castle Cup in 1972, as well as the ZIFA Cup in 1991.
But unlike Dynamos, CAPS United and Highlanders, they have not been able to consistently maintain their PSL status.
While most of the teams that featured in the formation of the modern PSL have since collapsed, Hwange are among the four survivors.
But their challenges with relegation have been more pronounced in recent years.
Hwange were relegated in 2017, but they bounced back to the top-flight after spending just one season in the second tier.
Chipangano’s woes continued when they returned in 2019 and were relegated again.
They needed one season to bounce back again, but the return was delayed because of Covid-19 disruptions.
They managed to survive relegation in 2023, but went down again in 2024.
Hwange were anchoring the log table with seven points from 11 matches when they fired Nation Dube and brought in Dhlakama in May.
Under Dhlakama, Hwange managed to get seven more wins and seven more draws from 23 matches.
They also had some big wins against teams like Highlanders, CAPS United and Manica Diamonds.
Dhlakama is famed for turning around the fortunes of struggling teams, as well as masterminding their survival.
But his CV took a huge knock at the Colliery.
“From a personal perspective, it was a very difficult and sad year, especially considering that I have never experienced a situation where a team that I inherited eventually got relegated,” he reckoned.
“It was very painful because the fate was sealed on the very last day. As much as the signs were there, I didn’t expect that.
“I also feel compelled and duty-bound that I should sympathise with the community of Hwange because they are really passionate about their team.
“Without pointing any fingers, I know a huge chunk of the blame is shouldered by the coach. I accept that and I want to apologise.
“Such things happen in football, but there is a lot of work that needs to be done, especially if the team is going to sustain PSL demands.”
Dhlakama said the powers that be at Hwange knew some of the problems facing the team.
“Some of the things, they know. So, it’s a situation where they also need to sympathise with the coach,” he said.
“We won some big games in front of them. We won against CAPS United, Highlanders, Manica Diamonds and a couple of others towards the end of the season, which gave the team a glimmer of hope.
“But it was always going to be difficult having to travel 1 200 kilometres prior to our last match (against Bikita Minerals) in Shamva. If we had finished at home, maybe things would have been different.”
Dhlakama indicated he would not mind to continue with the team in Division One.
But just like Mafu, he feels there are some fundamentals that need to be addressed.
“I think what the team needs to do now is retain the players. For Division One, I am sure these players will do well to make sure the team bounces back as soon as possible,” he said.
“They just need to make sure the grey areas are attended to. I am sure the resources, the potential and the talent in the community abound because 95 percent of the players in the squad are from Hwange.”
But from a team that used to be a conveyor of some of the country’s best talents, like former national team captain Method Mwanjali, Takesure Chinyama and goalkeepers Witness Munkuli, Posani Sibanda and Taimon Mvula, Hwange’s profile has taken a nosedive.
Hwange have a juniors’ team, but the conveyor belt is no longer as effective as it was long back.
Critics say the team’s leadership should be staffed with people with a sound sports administration background.
“The main issue is on administration,” said one football critic.
“I think logistical issues off the field contribute to the endless relegations.
“In essence, a team with such resources and support should rather be fighting for honours every season. I think there is a need to appoint football people and also make football decisions.”
