MBABANE – Mbabane Swallows Coach Caleb Ngwenya has reacted to the resignation of want-away midfielder Banele ‘Pupu’ Sikhondze.
He has likened the midfielder to his son, amid his resignation with some of the reasons linked to him as the head coach. The player decried lack of game time under Ngweya. As reported in our sister publication, the Times of Eswatini daily, that the former South Africa’s Polokwane City midfielder resigned from the capital city giants in the midst of the PLE Trade Fair Cup 2023, with his team playing Young Buffaloes this afternoon in the semi-finals.
The Swallows fan favourite was also not part of the team that defeated Ezulwini United 3-0 on Thursday in the PLE Trade Fair Cup. Ngwenya who was reportedly not in good terms with the skilful player disputed those rumours.
“Banele is like any of my other sons in the Swallows team. There is nothing like not getting along with the player and he was even my captain in the recent Hospice at Home Charity Cup,” Ngwenya said.
He disclosed that the resignation of the player came as a big surprise to the technical team, as he was part of Swallows’ project for the upcoming season. “He is one of the most intelligent players we have had in the team and Pupu is every coach’s dream,” he said. The former Green Mamba gaffer went on to reveal that one of the reasons the player was not a regular under him was due to that he was not feeling well most of the time. “The player would reported being sick which made him miss training sessions, otherwise there was never a strained relationship between us,” the coach said.
The former national team Sihlangu player said he resigned to take on a new challenge. “To be honest I have won everything on offer domestically with the club and I want a fresh challenge, where I can enjoy football in a new environment. I want to enjoy playing football, which is something I have not enjoyed in a while and I’m not getting any younger,” Sikhonzde had said late last month and reiterated these words yesterday. The skilful player went on to reveal that Ngwenya was not the reason he had resigned from the club.
“Caleb is actually a good coach who was able to identify my talent while I was still staying in Big Bend. When he joined the club he told me that I would play a big role for him here at Swallows, unfortunately I had not been well in the past months. He is a very good coach who I believe will return the club back to its glory days,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Swallows player remains one of the most decorated to have played in the club. He is the member of the record-breaking Umkhonto KaShaka, which went on a 51-league unbeaten run from May 15, 2016 to September 30, 2018. The midfield gem was also part of the squad that reached the group stages of both the CAF Confederation Cup and Champions League under the directorship of slain businessman, Victor Gamedze. Furthermore, Swallows have insisted the player will not go cheap, inviting any interested potential suitors to approach them for his clearance.