The new head coach of Black Leopards, Mr Rodwell Dhlakama, is an ambitious man. The Zimbabwean national was appointed as the team's head coach, following the suspension of Mr Joel Masutha and his assistant, Mr Morgan Shivambu, and the team's goalkeeper coach, Mr Sam Banda, early last week. Shivambu and Banda's suspensions were subsequently withdrawn.
The 48-year-old mentor watched the Leopards' home game against Platinum City Rovers from the grandstand at the Malamulele Stadium last Saturday. Lidoda duvha were beaten 1-2. During an interview with him shortly after the game, Dhlakama was quick to mention that a lot of young talent resided in the Leopards' camp.
He said that Black Leopards were by far the better side regarding ball possession and displaying entertaining football. He added that displaying entertaining football without securing a positive result was only good for the eyes and not for the fans. Supporters want a positive result, and the rest is a bonus, he said.
Asked whether he could possibly pull the team out of the relegation quagmire with the current squad, Dhlakama said that his mandate was to promote the team to the DStv Premiership Division at the end of the season and not to save the team from relegation. According to him, the mandate is achievable when taking into account a number of things.
He said that speculation about the teams that would be promoted or relegated at the end of the season was premature as the teams had played only six matches to date.
Dhlakama's coaching history speaks volumes. Some of the teams he had guided to success in his home country over the past years include Chapungu FC, Ngezi Platinum FC and the Zimbabwean U/17 national team.
Black Leopards are lying at the bottom of the log with three points (the results of their midweek match against TTM not included). Lidoda duvha's next fixture will be against Magesi FC at the Malamulele Stadium on Sunday.