Thabo Senong says his stint at Highlanders FC is a learning curve, accepting the weight of expectations at a club that last won the league title two decades ago.
Highlanders last won the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League title in 2006 under Methembe Ndlovu. Ndlovu stands as the youngest coach to win a league title in Zimbabwe, as he was 33.
Interestingly, 45-year-old Senong is the first South African coach to take charge of a Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League side. And as he steps into one of the hottest and most hotly contested positions in the country, a lot is expected from him.
WHAT THABO SENONG SAID
However, the former Sekhukhune United coach has chosen to take a humble stance, as he is expected to halt Highlanders’ two decades without a league title. Their latest trophy came in 2019 when they won the Chibuku Super Cup title.
“I’m looking forward to meeting the players and the passionate fans. Lots of work to be done, and I’m eager to learn a lot from everyone involved in the club. It’s a very big club with a rich heritage, and we’re just looking forward to protecting the brand of the club and working hard every day,” Senong said.
Additionally, Senong said he is anchoring on former AmaZulu FC striker Mkhokheli Dube, who is already familiar with Zimbabwean football. Dube is his assistant coach.
“I’m very fortunate to have been working closely with Mr Denzel Mnkandla, the CEO. He’s been briefing me a lot. I’ve already been in touch with Coach Mkhokheli Dube, and we’ve been talking a lot about the league, of course,” he added.
“Because we’re not playing football in a vacuum, we’re playing against very good opponents. So we’re just trying to also get to know about the opponents, get to know about our team, and where we can improve. That’s what we need to reinforce, to strengthen. So yeah, it’s a process, but we just need to make sure that we work hard every day.”
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