Thabo Senong leaves Highlanders after backers demand local coach

A new Highlanders coach got signed, sidelined, then rushed out of Zimbabwe in hours after backers flipped.

Sudden hire fallout

• Thabo Senong joined Highlanders on a two-year deal.
• The move unraveled days after public confirmation.
• Exit orders landed fast and hard.

What triggered the reversal

• Work permit paperwork kicked off internal tension.
• Financial backers pushed for a Zimbabwean coach.
• Benjani Mwaruwari surfaced as the preferred name.

Demotion offer and refusal

• Club leadership floated assistant or director roles.
• Senong rejected stepping down mid-project.
• Squad planning had already started.

Exit scramble details

• Senong says he had under two hours to leave.
• Personal items stayed behind in Bulawayo.
• Contract termination continues from outside Zimbabwe.

Money and mixed messages

• Wicknell Chivayo injected major funding into Highlanders.
• Chivayo denied steering football decisions.
• Club cited visa compliance, which Senong disputes.

Aftermath and mood

• Senong says trust collapsed fast.
• The episode left him frustrated and sidelined.
• The job ended before preseason truly began.