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Julius Simon
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
AMBITIOUS Bulawayo-based Southern Region Division One League side Talen Vision have bolstered their technical team by hiring Slovakian coach Julius Simon as technical director.
Simon fills the gap left by national team assistant coach Saul Chaminuka, who is now coaching in Swaziland.
Simon will oversee Talen Vision’s first team and is also required to draft programmes for the club’s development sides.
The 55-year-old was capped 24 times by Slovakia during his playing days, scoring six goals before hanging his boots in 2010 at SC Columbia in Austria where he had spent three seasons.
Not much information is available about Simon’s coaching experience, but according to Talen Vision, the Slovakian submitted a CV indicating that he is a development coach, who once took charge of the Slovakia Under-18 side.
Talen Vision also said Simon is a holder of the Uefa B Licence.
Talen Vision chairman Otrick Siziba confirmed that they had hired Simon and the club was in the process of acquiring a work permit for the Slovak.
“We went for Simon to get another dimension for our football. This doesn’t mean we will be parting ways with the coaches we have, but we want them to learn from him and improve their skills as well. He will start work after getting his permit, which we hope should be out soon,” said Siziba.
Simon will this afternoon watch Talen Vision’s tricky encounter against championship favourites Bantu Rovers at White City Stadium.
Talen Vision are presently 10th on the league table with 23 points, a massive 21 points behind Rovers, who sit at the top after 19 rounds of matches.
Both sides will be looking to bounce back from losses suffered in last weekend’s games. Rovers lost 0-1 to second-placed Bulawayo Chiefs, while
Talen Vision were felled 0-2 by ZRP Bulawayo.
In today’s clash, Talen Vision will be hoping that their 21-year-old midfielders Mbekezeli Sibanda, Njabulo Mpofu, Michael Bhebhe, striker Godknows Sibanda and goalkeeper Wandile Ndlovu, who is on loan from Chicken Inn, will rediscover the form that saw then shocking second-placed Chiefs about a fortnight ago.
They also have the midfielder duo of Hillary Madzivanyika and Simon Njeleza, who have Premiership experience.
Rovers will be depending on defender Lindelani Ncube, midfielders Zephaniah Ngodzo and Denzel Khumalo, as well as strikers Bukhosi Sibanda and Fortune Nkomazana.
Chiefs are at home to ZRP Hwange at Luveve and third-placed Amagagasi entertain Technosphere tomorrow.
Southern Region Division One League fixtures
Today: Casmyn v Indlovu Iyanyathela (Turk Mine), ZPC Hwange v Victoria Falls Tigers (Hwange), Makomo v Ntabazinduna (Hwange), Black Boots v Bosso 90 (Fairbridge), Bulawayo Chiefs v ZRP Hwange (Luveve, 12PM), Bantu Rovers v Talen Vision (White City), ZRP Bulawayo Province v Hwange Juniors (Fairbridge, 12PM)
Thursday: Amagagasi v Technosphere (Victoria Falls)
@ZililoR