Stuttering BDF XI fire Chikwanda
Mqondisi Dube | Tuesday December 2, 2014 12:49
The former Nico United coach has seen results dwindle in his second season in charge as the army side fail to replicate the previous campaign’s form.
BDF XI secretary, Isaac Letsholathebe confirmed Chikwanda’s departure, adding the coach had lost the dressing room.
“It was getting difficult for players to play for him. As management we did not want to interfere. We wanted to let the coach to do his job,” Letsholathebe said.
There were concerns BDF XI were scrapping through under the towering Zambian despite the club winning the Mascom Top 8 trophy last season.
A spluttering league start has seen the side nine points off the pace after 12 matches and labouring to the last four of the Mascom Top 8. They only went through on away goals after being held 2-2 and 1-1 by Police XI in the two-legged quarterfinal.
The 1-0 weekend loss to Letlapeng triggered action as it pushed BDF XI down to seventh, with leaders Township Rollers quickly getting out of sight. It was BDF XI’s fifth defeat of a gloomy campaign, which has left their title ambitions hanging by a thread.
The quality in the BDF XI side is undoubted and the management expected better from Chikwanda who finished second last season.
Letsholathebe believes the dismissal of the coach was a remedial action and the team can still go on and win the league title.
“We still want to win the league. We are not in a bad position, we believe we have dealt with the obstacles,” Letsholathebe said.
Meanwhile, the Madinda Ndlovu juggernaut rolled on as Township Rollers tightened grip in the league race. A 6-1 shellacking of Orapa United has alerted title challengers of the defending champions’ potency.
Ndlovu is gunning for a fourth title in a row after success with Mochudi Centre Chiefs (two) and Rollers last season.
The Zimbabwean has proven to be a shrewd tactician after a slow start to his Botswana career, which took him to Rollers, Nico and Motlakase Power Dynamos.
Rollers are unbeaten in 12 matches played thus far.
The top three positions remained unchanged with BMC and Mochudi Centre Chiefs responding positively to Rollers’ win.
Both are five points behind Rollers who have 30 points.
The rear also returned a familiar look with ECCO City Greens looking to make bottom place theirs after slumping to their eighth defeat of the season. Letlapeng’s win saw them move off the foot of the table, with seven points just above BR Highlanders and ECCO.