Silver Strikers have said although they have only suspended head coach Dan Kabwe, investigations on the team’s poor performance will not spare his backroom staff.
The Central Bankers announced the suspension of the Zambian tactician on Monday evening and replaced him with assistant coach McDonald Yobe.
Other members of the panel include team manager Peter Mgangira and goalkeeper trainer S’busiso Padambo.
Silver Strikers company secretary Peter Masiye said in an interview yesterday: “We only suspended the head because we did not want to create a vacuum and that he calls the shots.
“Let me stress the point that the investigation will cover the entire backroom staff, no one will be spared as we seek to get to the bottom of the team’s poor showing.”
On whether Kabwe’s on-and-off attendance of a CAF A coaching licence course in Tanzania might have affected the team’s performance, Masiye said: “Exactly, that could be the case, but then we could not just sit and watch when the team is struggling.
“Someone had to take responsibility and it had to be him as the head coach.”
Part of the statement issued by the club says they have appointed a task force “to investigate all issues surrounding the performance of the team”.
In an interview yesterday, Kabwe, sounding ice cool, said he will wait for the outcome of the investigation.
He said: “I have to pave the way for their investigations because they are saying poor performance.
“Anyway, that’s how football is. Silver is a big team and results have not been coming. So, let’s see, I can’t comment much until after the investigations.”
On his part, Yobe said he will take up the challenge.
“There is nothing much I can say other than take up the challenge and see how it goes,” he said.
Last season, Kabwe and his entire backroom staff were also fired for a similar reason, but they were reinstated a few days later except first assistant coach McDonald Mtetemera who was suspended on disciplinary grounds before eventually parting ways with the team.
Silver hired Kabwe at the start of the 2020/21 season and he was given a target to win the league and all cups, but he only won the inaugural FDH Bank Cup and led the team to a runners-up slot in the Super League.
The former Zanaco FC coach’s contract was extended by a year in February.
But Masiye said: “His contract isperformance based and has an option to terminate if the team is not performing.”
His last assignment was against Nyasa Big Bullets in a league match last Saturday which Silver lost 3-1 at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
The Central Bankers are fifth in the 16-team domestic top-flight league with 16 points from 11 matches, 16 points behind leaders Bullets.
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