Onalenna Modikwa
11 December 2008
SELEBI-PHIKWE — Troubled Premier League side, Nico United is on the verge of rehiring their former coach Guston Mutobo.
The Zambian has emerged as the front-runner to replace Madinda Ndlovu of Zimbabwe who has resigned. Assistant coach, Peter Muchina will handle the team in the interim period. Nico spokesman, Matlhale Malepa indicated that Mutobo is among the three applicants who responded to their call for a coach.
"It is true that Mutobo has shown interest but we have not yet finalised everything with him." Nico officials held negotiations with Mutobo this week at Travel Inn. Before he parted ways with Nico because of poor performance, Mutobo had led the club to its best finish in the Premier League and the semi-finals of the Coca-Cola Cup. His fifth spot finish in the league was bettered this year by Ndlovu who guided Majombolo to fourth position. During his time, Nico was a household name and its supporters held motorcades prior to games and painted Selebi-Phikwe in green and yellow.
After parting ways with Majombolo, he joined cross-town rivals FC Satmos after nearly a year in the soccer wilderness. Under his reign, Satmos was relegated from the Premier League. He stopped coaching because of injuries he sustained from a car accident.
Malepa said that if they finalise a deal with Mutobo, they will not give him the incentives he once had like free accommodation and education for his children in English medium schools.
"We cannot say we are going to reinstate those incentives. We rely on gate takings hence promising too much luxuries is not wise." He said Mutobo did not leave Nico just because of failure to deliver as there were other issues involved. "Poor performance is not all about the failure of the coach but the team may as well be going through a rough patch."
The recruitment of a coach for Nico could not have come at a more opportune time than now when the team's performance has seriously deteriorated as exemplified by the 6-1 drubbing by Gaborone United last weekend. Malepa however said it is too early to be under pressure because they only played badly in the last two games. He added that the team lacks depth and they will have to recruit good players in the transfer window next month. "Come January, and we will not disappoint the football fraternity in Phikwe. We are already eyeing some players that we want to sign. Ndlovu has already pinpointed some players that can add value to our team as it was not his intention to leave." Nico's next game against Township Rollers in Molepolole will be the last before the transfer window.
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