Professor's Chocco dilemma

Mlungisi Professor Ngubane seems to be on to something at Mbabane Highlanders. It certainly hasn't been an easy ride but things are finally looking up for the South African born coach. And yet a major problem remains, that of the form of captain Xolani 'Chocco' Sibandze.

Chocco is revered by Highlanders fans and rightly so. He has undoubtedly been one of the club's best players in recent years. He has been a loyal servant to the club, sticking with the Black Bull during their one campaign of humiliation in the National First Division back in the 2013/14 season.

Chocco never left when he easily could have. Instead, he stayed and helped his beloved Highlanders climb back up the football ladder. But the man who was so instrumental in getting Highlanders back to the big time now looks like the man holding them back.

Chocco has been badly off form and for a long time now. It's hard to remember a virtuoso Chocco performance this season. Those kind of performances, in days gone by, when Chocco would literally take a football match by the scruff of its neck and drag Highlanders to victory seem such a distant memory now.

Instead, he has looked out of sorts and uninspired for much of the campaign. Sibandze still cares, it's evident. He runs, he tracks runners, but it's just not happening for him going forward. The gifted winger who used to decide matches for Highlanders is now, more often than not, a peripheral figure in his side's matches.

He might have set up Thabiso Mankonkwane for Highlanders' third goal in Sunday's 3-1 rout of Green Mamba but other than that, Sibandze was a mere passenger in much of the match. A story of his season really.

That leaves coach Ngubane in a dilemma. How does the South African born coach get the best out of his trusted captain? He has failed to do so in over three months in charge at Highlanders.

Benching Chocco would surely set tongues wagging at Highlanders but that just might be the solution. Highlanders certainly are a better side with an on song Chocco but he looks far from hitting the right notes right now.

The prerogative remains with Ngubane. Bench Chocco to give him a wake up call or bench him as a way of beginning a future for the team without him in it. Or, continue with him in the team until he finds his form. Ngubane has options but only one will work. 

The Professor declared after Sunday's win over Green Mamba that he had showed his doubters his CV. Now, he will need all his pedigree to handle the matter of his underperfoming captain.

Please show us your CV again, coach!