EVERYONE and everything is to blame for Bulawayo giants Highlanders’ dip of form, everyone and everything except Coach Baltermar Brito, or so he says.
By Bhora Afrika
Brito watched as his men failed to breakdown Bulawayo Chiefs at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo on Sunday to end the match nil all.
It was his 12th draw in 29 matches, an eighth goal less stalemate for a team that until August had looked set to clinching the league title.
Highlanders have since let go of its initial lead at the top and now sit pretty on third, nine points behind Mhondoro based Ngezi Platinum.
With the pressure building up from within the executive which still expects a title this year as is detailed in his contract and a legion of fans itching for a taste of the Castle Lager premiership title, an accolade they last had in 2006, Brito Sunday chose to point out the malcontents.
“We should have won this match. Being here in the national duties, almost doing one session was difficult. Giving my assistants all the freedom, (Madinda Ndlovu and Joel Luphahla) and they decided another system (a 3-5-2 formation) which is however, still the same whether we are playing an A, B, C team. This was not so fair,” said Brito.
“There has not been a question of plan at Highlanders in the last seven to eight games. We can change the team but the symptoms are there in the team.
“I was off with the national team…with me going there with the national team for about 15 days I don not think I am to blame. I conducted one session after that, it was not so fair but I did it because no one wanted to take the responsibility. I took that responsibility because no one wanted to take it.”
Brito prefers using five defenders.
The outspoken Brito has in the past made it clear he was not given enough arsenal to work with by his executive. Bosso failed to break the bank for in-form striker Obriel Chirinda of Bulawayo Chiefs who was reportedly demanding US$20,000.
With no Chirinda, Brito had to make do with rotational use of misfiring Washington Navaya, Stanley Ngala and Ray Lunga who do not have more than five goals between them.
Highlanders have scored 20 goals in 29 matches, the third least in the division and only seven goals better than the worst; bottom placed Cranborne Bullets.