AFTER a month of speculation, Hendrikus Pieter De Jongh is officially back at Highlanders.
The Dutch coach, who had a brief but impactful stint with the club in 2019, was cleared by the Immigration Department on Wednesday and immediately took charge of a training session at White City Stadium.
De Jongh’s return follows the sacking of Kelvin Kaindu in June.
He will make his second debut in the dugout this Sunday when Highlanders travel to face Bikita Minerals at Gibbo Stadium.
The coach is expected to be formally unveiled at a Press conference today at the club’s offices.
De Jongh’s primary task is to steer the Bulawayo giants away from a looming relegation threat.
Despite sitting in ninth place with 29 points after 25 games, Highlanders are just two points above the relegation cut-off point.
The battle to avoid the drop is fierce, with Green Fuel (15th), Manica Diamonds (16th) and Chicken Inn (14th) all tied on 27 points.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Highlanders’ upcoming opponent, Bikita Minerals, have 29 points, highlighting the critical nature of this weekend’s clash.
Other teams trapped in the relegation dogfight include Triangle, Caps United and Yadah, all sitting on 28 points.
While Dynamos (22 points) and Kwekwe United (9 points) occupy the bottom two spots, the former has shown signs of a revival under Kaindu, who has secured six points in his first two games.
Kwekwe United, on the other hand, seems destined for relegation to Division One.
De Jongh takes over from interim coach Try Ncube, who had a difficult run at the helm.
Since Kaindu’s departure, Ncube managed only one victory in eight games, with four losses and three draws.
His sole win came at home against Green Fuel.
The team’s struggles under Ncube underscore the pressure on De Jongh to deliver immediate results and save the club from a potential drop into a lower division.
