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Kevin Mapasure
THE Sables will have to learn to accept coach Brendan Dawson (pictured) after the Committee running the affairs of the national 15s team settled for the mentor to continue presiding over the team.
The players, in a meeting last month, passed a vote of no confidence in Dawson and his appointment had to be delayed as consultation took place.
He had been lined up for a new four-year contract. But after meetings and deliberations finalised on Tuesday, the Sables Committee settled on Dawson and he will be offered a contract before official announcement on Monday.
The committee was tempted to make changes and bring in new blood, as the players had demanded, but considered the results that Dawson had managed to achieve and decided to give him another chance.
A source told IndependentSport that the Sables Committee’s task would be to convince the players that Dawson, who led the team to a stellar performance 2011 in which they won all their matches, is the right man to take the team through to the World Cup qualifiers.
“Well it is important that we cultivate an environment where they players can work well with the coach,” said the source.
“The players gave their input and felt they could learn more with a new coach but they should not have a problem working with Dawson again. The two parties worked together successfully last year and it is a case of just doing the same. The good thing is everyone is focused on winning and we all want to have a shot at the World Cup. Opinions differ and it’s normal in this kind of situation so we expect the players to embrace the technical team and work as hard as they did last year.”
Sables Committee chairman, Dumile Moyo said the process of appointing a new technical team was yet to be completed but confirmed that an announcement will be made on Monday to pave way for the start of serious preparations ahead of challenges coming up this year.
Training should have started last month had it not been for the unprecedented delays in the appointment of the technical department. A tri-nations against Botswana and Zambia is on the cards as the Sables prime themselves to defend the Victoria Cup against Kenya and Uganda.
Important too for the Sables is this year’s Africa Cup where at the least they have to maintain a place in Group A in order to participate in 2015 World Cup qualifiers next year.
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