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Eswatini club ‘hires’ Meke Mwase

Eswatini club ‘hires’ Meke Mwase

Eswatini MTN Premier League side Mbabane Highlanders are on the verge of hiring former Mighty Wanderers coach Meke Mwase.

But Mwase, who is still in the country, while confirming talks with the club, insisted the deal had not been finalised as of Wednesday.

“Indeed, I am talks with the club. The discussions are going well. I hope by the end of this week, everything will be finalised,” Mwase said.

One of Eswatini’s leading newspapers, Eswatini Observer reported on Tuesday that Mwase has been hired as Highlanders coach.

According to Eswatini Observer, Thembela Dlamini will be Mwase’s assistant whereas Barnes Mkhulisi is the technical director. Papi Skhondze and Xolani Choco Sibande have been appointed scouts.

Mwase is set to return to Highlanders nine years after guiding the team to runners-up spot in 2016.

“The team will always have special space in my heart. I enjoyed working with the team,” the former Malawi National Football Team coach said.

Mwase would have a big task to turn around Highlanders fortunes as they are on position 11 with 13 points, 22 points behind leaders Royal Leopards this season.

The former TN Stars coach had a stint with another eSwatini side Nsingizini Hotspurs in 2023 when he succeeded compatriot Gerald Phiri Snr.

While in eSwatini, he brought his compatriot Charles Manda to Nsingizini as his assistant. Mwase moved to eSwatini formerly of Swaziland after he was replaced with Romanian coach Mario Marinica as Flames coach after the delayed 2021 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals.

But he returned home and worked as an assistant to the then Wanderers coach Nsanzurwimo Ramadhan early last season but later was named coach on a two-year contract.

His contract was terminated following his absence from the club for two weeks without approval.