"Who Wants to Bury The Undertaker?": Benjani Exposes "Toxic" Sabotage at Highlanders FC
Reported By: Sona Headlines (Sports Desk)
Former Manchester City striker and current Highlanders FC head coach Benjani "The Undertaker" Mwaruwari has dropped a massive bombshell ahead of the crucial Easter fixtures, accusing the Bulawayo club's management of active sabotage and fostering a deeply toxic working environment.
Under immense pressure after four consecutive draws, Benjani Mwaruwari did not mince his words during a fiery press briefing, claiming internal forces want him to fail.
Barely two months into his tenure, the 47-year-old ex-Warriors skipper is crying foul. Facing the media ahead of a daunting Good Friday clash against FC Platinum, Benjani revealed that his requests for basic technical support have been ignored, and crucial player work permits have been suspiciously delayed. With Bosso currently languishing in 12th place in the Castle Lager PSL, the club appears to be at war with itself.
"They Don't Want Me Here"
Looking highly animated during Thursday's press conference, Mwaruwari broke the cardinal rule of football management by publicly airing the club's dirty laundry, stating he could no longer stay silent while his reputation was on the line.
A Toxic Environment
The Accusation: "I am sorry to say this, but I must be open on some of the things that are happening in the club," Mwaruwari told journalists. "I have been working in difficult conditions. Everyone didn’t want me here. That is a fact... I needed maximum support, but I feel like that is not happening."
Working Against The Team
The Undertaker's Vow: Acknowledging the resistance from day one, he added: "I am beginning to notice certain things that seem to work against what we are trying to achieve... I know that many people did not want me here, but that will not stop me from giving my best for this club."
Administrative Spanners in the Works
Mwaruwari pointed to two specific, glaring administrative failures as evidence that the Highlanders' front office is deliberately trying to frustrate his project.
The Isaac Ngoma Visa Issue
The Missing Striker: The primary source of Benjani's ire is the club's failure to secure a work permit for new Zambian forward Isaac Ngoma. "This boy has been here waiting for the work permits for the past one month, but some in the club don’t want this to happen... They are not doing enough," the coach lamented, desperate for attacking options.
No Performance Analyst
Technical Starvation: Furthermore, Mwaruwari accused management of ignoring his urgent request to hire a performance analyst. He expressed immense frustration at having to conduct his own rudimentary research on opponents' strengths and weaknesses—a task unheard of for a club of Highlanders' stature in modern football.
A Baptism of Fire Awaits
The timing of Benjani's outburst is critical. He was hired under highly controversial circumstances, with Bosso making a humiliating U-turn on the unveiling of former Bafana Bafana assistant Thabo Senong to appoint Benjani instead. Now, sitting on 4 points (8 behind leaders CAPS United), he faces a brutal Easter weekend.
The Easter Schedule
Make or Break: Bosso will welcome former champions FC Platinum at Barbourfields on Good Friday. With barely any time to recover, the team will then travel to Harare to face the defending league champions, Scottland FC, at Rufaro Stadium on Easter Monday.
Other Key PSL Easter Fixtures
Saturday: Simba Bhora v Dynamos (Wadzanayi); CAPS United v Manica Diamonds (Rufaro).
Monday: Chicken Inn v FC Hunters (Barbourfields); ZPC Kariba v TelOne (Nyamhunga).
Tuesday: Herentals College v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Rufaro).
Sona Headlines Verdict
Deflection or Dysfunction?
When a coach goes public to bash his own board just two months into his tenure, it usually signals the beginning of the end. Benjani's outburst is likely a mix of two realities: First, Highlanders' administration is notoriously bureaucratic and factional, making the one-month delay for Isaac Ngoma’s permit entirely believable. Second, Benjani—who was sacked after just three games at Ngezi Platinum in 2022—is feeling the heat of four consecutive draws and is preemptively setting the narrative before a tough Easter fixture list.
Thrown Under The Bus
If Highlanders truly dropped Thabo Senong to controversially force Benjani into the dugout, failing to provide him with a simple performance analyst is institutional negligence. However, by publicly declaring war on the executives holding the purse strings, the "Undertaker" may have just dug his own grave at Barbourfields.
The Decisive Weekend
If Bosso fails to secure maximum points against FC Platinum and Scottland FC this Easter, the toxic relationship between the bench and the boardroom may reach a breaking point. Stay tuned to Sona Headlines Sports for match updates.
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