Mbabane Highlanders row escalates as general manager calls Floyd Mogale ‘a plumber’

Mbabane Highlanders AM general manager Richard Makhoba has accused former coach Floyd Mogale of incompetence, describing him as “a plumber” and “a shame to football coaching”.

Makhoba and Mogale worked together at the Eswatini club before Mogale left his position as head coach. Mogale has blamed Makhoba’s interference for his departure, while Makhoba insists the coach was dismissed.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns scout said Makhoba tried to alter the team’s style by bringing in established players and insisting on additional training sessions.

“I am sure he is happy now that I am no longer in Eswatini,” Mogale told KickOff.

“He is the reason behind my departure from the team. He brought big players up front and wanted to change the way we were playing football. That is not my culture of football.

“We were doing well and, for the first time in 10 years, Mbabane Highlanders qualified for the finals and lost on penalties.”

Mogale also claimed Makhoba required the squad to train twice, which he said had a negative effect on the players’ performances.

The coach said he had requested an analyst to help prepare for opponents, but was told such support was not needed in Eswatini football.

“I asked for an analyst and he said Swazi football doesn’t require analysts,” Mogale said.

“I was approaching games without any feedback about our opposition’s strategies, or their strengths and weaknesses.”

He added: “The GM told me that, no, in Eswatini analysts don’t work.

“How do I plan without having a clue how our opposition are playing and what their formation is? I needed opposition analysis to help me plan for the next match. But instead, the GM thought I was demanding a lot of unnecessary things.”

Makhoba rejects Mogale’s account

Makhoba strongly disputed Mogale’s version of events, saying the coach had not resigned and was instead removed by the club.

“You can quote me on this one. Floyd is a plumber. He is a shame to football coaching,” Makhoba said.

“He did not resign but was fired by the club because he doesn’t know anything about football.”

Makhoba further alleged that Mogale had created conflict within the squad and with members of his technical team.

“He caused a lot of problems in the team. He was fighting with the players and his technical team. You must ask Brilliant Khuzwayo. The players are happy that he is gone,” he said.

Makhoba also referred to Mogale’s previous coaching history, claiming he had been dismissed by Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs.

“He was a rotten potato in the team. That’s why he was fired at Sundowns; Kaizer [Motaung] fired him at [Kaizer] Chiefs,” Makhoba said.

“I have coached in the NFD. Floyd can’t even match my record as a coach. We just made a mistake by bringing him in as coach at the club.”