Beautiful Birds ring the changes

Home Archived Beautiful Birds ring the changes

WINDHOEK – Contrary to suggestions that MTC Premiership coastal outfit LHU Blue Waters has retained the services of their Zimbabwean coach, Gilbert Rwasoka, the club issued a statement in which they confirmed Rwasoka’s departure from the Birds’ nest.

The club also confirmed the appointment of former mentor Lucky ‘Wire’ Shipanga as head coach, which was doing the rounds on the rumour mill.

Shipanga is to be deputized by the team’s former stalwart defender Mabele Nehoya and dreadlocked veteran centre-back, Fisher Kalimba, while Elton Brown has been roped in as goalkeeper coach with Ronny Moyo unveiled as the new team manager.

According to an insider with intimate knowledge of the coastal outfit’s inner circles, the changes were necessitated by the club’s aspirations to resurrect its ailing fortunes after the Beautiful Birds, as the club is affectionately known among its ardent followers,

flirted dangerously with relegation last term.

“The decision to part ways with Rwasoka was amicable because we felt it was in the best interest of both parties as we were pressed by a tight budget and could no longer afford his services. The coach clearly understood our financial predicament,” said the source.

In a desperate bid to reclaim its former glory days, Blue Waters is reported to have enlisted the services of highly talented young footballers who ostensibly defected from troubled neighbours Eleven Arrows en masse in search of greener pastures.

In the meantime, Tura Magic has captured the signature of former Orlando Pirates protégé Bertus Bock to take over the hot seat vacated by the wanderlust Woody Jacobs, after their preferred candidate Dino Ballotti reneged on an earlier agreement to join forces with the ambitious Katutura outfit. Suggestions are that the youthful Ballotti is on the verge of joining Pirates.

 By Carlos Kambaekwa