FOREST RANGERS EVICT TENANT

By MICHAEL MIYOBA AFTER a five-game losing streak in the MTN Super League, Forest Rangers have finally said bye to head coach Tenant Chilumba. Chilumba has been sent on administrative leave, said the clu in a statement issued by Media and Public Relations Officer, Christina Zulu. Rangers have lost grip on their top-four finish as they sit on sixth position with 43 points from 11 wins, 10 draws and 10 defeats from 31 matches played. “In the interim Owen Kaposa, the second assistant coach will serve as the acting head,” read part of the brief statement by Zulu. The statement ends speculations that the coach was fired to join a number of more than six MTN Super League coaches that have been fired in the name of being sent on administrative leave. Veteran coach Patrick Phiri was the first to be sidelined in the Super League when Lumwana Radiants who are now languishing in the relegation zone of the Super League replaced him with defender Christopher Munthali who acted as caretaker coach player before the club engaged Tenant Chombo. Other prominent coaches who have been sent on leave but never returned included Nkana’s Manfred Chabinga who was replaced by Kelvin Kaindu. Kaindu was also sent on leave following Nkana’s poor run in the CAF Confederations Cup and the Super League and was replaced by Beston Chambeshi. At Green Buffaloes, Bilton Musonda was sidelined for Justin Chinama who took over as head coach as Musonda went on to replace Chembo at Lumwana Radiants. Power Dynamos recently sent Perry Mutapa on leave as assistant coach Masautso Tembo remained in charge.  At Godfrey Chitalu Stadium, Kabwe Warriors sidelined head coach Levy Chabala for Ian Bakala who was promoted two weeks after joining the team from Lusaka Dynamos.