Following a slow start to the 2019 Castle Large Premier Soccer League (PSL) season that has seen the team go for seven matches without a win, on Friday Highlanders went an extra mile and engaged a counselling specialist to psych up the players ahead of the Sunday match against Herentals.
On Thursday technical manager Madinda Ndlovu had told journalists that the club had measures put in place to exorcise the ‘psychological demon’ that has been haunting his players after failing not only to win, but also to find the back of the net at Barbourfields stadium, the team’s favourite hunting ground in four matches.
“We are also doing all we can, to try and keep the boys motivated, to try and keep the boys focused in line with victory. We have measures we have put in place to try and get independent people as well to come and psychologically boost the boys,” he said.
On Friday the team had a session with a reputable motivational speaker and former club finance committee chairman Davies Ndumiso Sibanda, who spent a better part of the session emphasising the importance of mental fitness in sports in general, and football in particular.
Sibanda’s presentation, which showed how football has evolved and became even more scientific, dwelt much on the mental aspects of the game, arguing that the physical aspect contributes about 60%, with the other 40% of a complete footballer covered by mental fitness.
Some of the examples of lack of mental fitness identified during the session were lack of commitment, concentration and fighting spirit, and indiscipline.
So uplifting was the session such that some players picked up their mental weaknesses, which they would work on to improve their game.
Highlanders’ worst start in the club’s history was on 1985, where the team, under the tutelage Bobby Clarke, went for ten league matches without registering a win.
Clarke had revolutionised the Highlanders team, injecting a lot of youthful players into his squad, most of whom had been promoted from the club’s junior structures.
His team had names such as the current club technical Manager Madinda Ndlovu, the late Willard Manshinkila-Khumalo and Mercedes “Rambo” Sibanda, Peter “Oxo” Nkomo, Sydney Zimunya, Nhamo Shambira and Netsai “Super” Moyo.
At the end of 1985, Clarke left his project for Barry Daka who went on 1986 the Highlanders side that earned itself the famours nickname “Cup Kings and Stars” went on to win the Chibuku trophy, Rothmans shield, Natbrew cup, and the Independence trophy.
The team also reached the semi-finals of the BAT Rosebowl and the finals of the Africa cup, with players like then captain and late Fanuel Ncube,Titus Majola, Alexander Maseko, Abraham Madondo, Tobias Mudyambanje, Dumisani Ngulube, Ronnie Jowa, Tito Paketh, Mpumelelo Dzowa and Amin Soma also being key names in the squad.