New details have emerged regarding how Zimbabwean giants Highlanders FC plan to resolve the Thabo Senong situation following the club’s shock decision to reverse his appointment as head coach.
Highlanders FC stunned the football fraternity by backtracking on Senong just weeks after announcing him as head coach on a two-year deal in early January. The former Sekhukhune United coach’s tenure was cut short due to alleged ‘work permit issues,’ a development that coincided with reports linking Benjani Mwaruwari to the hot seat.
A high-ranking Highlanders official, speaking on condition of anonymity, has dismissed rumours that the club intends to pay Senong only one month’s salary as a severance package.
FARPost understands that Senong was set to earn a monthly salary between R72,000 and R80,000 [approximately US4,500–US5,000]. It is believed the club is now considering a compensation package equivalent to at least six months’ salary.
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“It’s not true that we are giving him one month’s salary. It was never the case. These issues are sensitive, as FIFA laws have a huge bearing on how cases like these are handled,” the official told FARPost.
“Of course, he was yet to get a permit, but we had given him a contract, so that means he had already started work. The permit issue doesn’t matter when it comes to FIFA, so we had to make sure there is peace between the coach and us.
“So now, we are negotiating with him, hearing what he expects from us and what we have. The situation obviously has effects, but we are keeping the door open because in future, we may need him to come back and take the job. Who knows?
“From the two-year contract, we also have to try to offer him a respectable compensation because it was an inconvenience on his part. He obviously ignored other offers, other things in his country, to take the job at Highlanders FC.”
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