Paulo Jorge Silva
STRUGGLING ‘Mighty’ Mufulira Wanderers have fired its technical bench headed by Portuguese coach Paulo Silva with immediate effect.
Sources at Shinde Stadium have revealed that Silva and assistants Chewe Mukuka and Moses Kashimoto have been replaced by Egyptian Mohammed Sulliman.
Sulliman was hired earlier but later dumped in preference for Silva after the Football Association of Zambia rejected his appointment on account of being under-qualified to coach in the FAZ/MTN Super League.
Wanderers are sitting one place above the relegation zone with just 26 points and must win at least five of the remaining nine games to avoid being relegated to Division One.
The legendary cup fighters suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat at the hands of leaders Zanaco in last week’s fixture which ultimately ended Silva’s reign at Shinde stadium.
“Yes that’s what has happened but I can’t give you an official position, you have to call the secretary or chairman, but I can tell you that all of them are gone,” said an insider.
When contacted, Wanderers secretary Goodwell Mateyo could neither confirm nor deny the sacking but just promised to issue a statement later after an executive meeting.
By press time, Wanderers chairman Kenward Chansa’s phone went unanswered before it was switched off.
Vice-chairman Kennedy Mukamba could also not directly confirm the development but promised to return the call as he claimed to be in a meeting before cutting the line.
The sources, however, said Silva could still return as Sulliman’s assistant together with John Chellah.
“As we speak, that Egyptian, Sulliman, who has been rejected by FAZ is already in Mufulira,” said the sources. – postzambia.com