MANZINI (15 November 2025): Manzini Wanderers have started mobilizing for their return to the Premier League. This time, they want to stamp their authority on rivals and show fans just what they were missing during their year-long absence.
While on ice, Wanderers have taken a long hard look at themselves. They did not like the picture and are now scrambling to correct the problems that channelled them onto the ruinous path to relegation.
“We certainly have not been idle in the past year,” Wanderers’ Managing Director Wellingtom Motsa told the SBIS Sports Show. “We have taken a long hard look at ourselves and realized that we need to deal with our internal governance systems and make sure that the Manzini Wanderers that returns to the Premier League is a much better and more competitive Manzini Wanderers,” he said.
Motsa is candid about the club’s performance during the season (leading to the relegation troubles) showed the need for some serious review of management structures. “We need an effective structure around which we can create a Wanderers’ winning formula that energises a mass fan base of support for a winning team.”
The devil with modern Eswatini soccer is the requirement to professionalise teams which requires that clubs enter into contracts with players and coaches and pay them regular salaries. It’s a cost that most clubs are unable to meet, and hence a perennial lack of funds for running team. Wanderers has been no different.
“We have looked at many management models to see what we can do. We have learnt from previous experience for instance that when we assigned the club management to a sole director, we continued to experience problems because when the director caught a flu, the club too became sick. So that has not been a good model for us. Wanderers is a people’s club, and we have resolved to keep it that way. What we need, is a good governance model.”
Motsa says they are revising the constitution to create the foundations for robust structures that will include a strong board of directors and a responsive and empowered management committee that will comprehensively take care of the club’s array of needs.
“Looking back to last season, one of the things we noted is that our management had drifted away from its people, the vital support base. We are correcting that now and have commissioned a team of ambassadors and tasked them with the task of mobilizing specific communities in different parts of the country to create local branches. Each of these people have been given a branch code and we will soon undertake a road show to market the club brand in each of the local branches. We had become too centralized. This will help us decentralize and create a presence countrywide.”
“We are also creating a technical committee that will be responsible for coordinating the identification of new talent for trials with the club.“
“As we prepare for the new season, we are recalling all our players who were on loan and will be assessing them to see who is fit to play.”
The callup must be answered by 2023-24 season players Simiso Tsabedze; Mlamuli Nkambule; Lindelwa Dludlu, Siphamandla Dhlamini; Sihle Mkhonta; Phathizwe Mabuza; Ncedo Shongwe; Khulekani Manana; Linda Msibi; Jabulani Mavimbela and Mancoba Maseko. Motsa says their players will be the foundation for the new Wanderers.
“We were clear from the start that players joined Wanderers because they wanted to play soccer. As we were not playing, we would not stop them moving to other teams” says Wanderers Managing Director Wellington Motsa. “Now we need those players back.”
They are waiting for the purchase window when they will buy new players.
Like all big league teams, Wanderers floundered in the last season because of the lack of money. Running a soccer team requires a lot. For instance at Mbabane Swallows who are currently out looking for a strong man to take over the club, Swallows outgoing club spokesman Bhambo Ngwenya says at the minimum, they will consider offers from interested investors who have the capacity for at least E1 million a month.
But Motsa says at Wanderers they no longer believe that money alone is the solution to their problems. “Even when the money is there, if the administration is poor and lacks consistency, the results will continue to be poor. That is why we are working on a strong administration, starting from a strong board and a robust administrative framework. An organization that can demonstrate competence will attract the money because investors must be impressed with the effectiveness of your governance systems. Once we have the structures in place, then we can go out resource mobilizing.
“It is vital that we develop the club to project a strong and attractive soccer brand that will not depend on anyone’s money. Let’s use the brand to run the team.”
People’s clubs are notorious for unhelpful internal dynamics with rivalries and unclear roles and responsibilities that open wide room for emotional leaders that do not even hold formal role in the administration to wield significant influence and create confusion. Motsa says at Wanderers they are currently developing a criteria by which they will draw qualified people who add value into the Board. These may come from club’s pool of seasoned leaders who have been tried and tested in the service of the club. However, others with special qualities will be headhunted to fill roles that Wanderers will deem essential for the progress of the club.
The club won a series of court decisions that set aside the resolve of the Premier League relegating them. Wanderers’ escape from relegation followed their winning a protest against Denver Sundowns who had fielded a defaulter to beat them. Though winning a series of court victories, this has not helped the Weslians who have not kicked the ball since last June when the 2023/24 season ended.
“We have always been clear that we were not relegated. What happened should not have happened. This was confirmed by the high court decision which would have meant that the League starts from scratch. However, we were considerate and allowed it to continue undisturbed to the end of the season.
But Motsa acknowledges that going through the hoops to dodge relegation for an elite club is not a good sign. They should have simply played winning soccer and stayed clear of relegation woes.
Wanderers is not the only one of the national soccer giants that are being forced into introspection on their way. In Manzini, Wanderers share the same problems with Moneni Pirates who also risked becoming a ‘yesterday giant people’s’ club. Both survived the 2023/2024 league relegation axe by a whisker (Pirates by a still inexplicable mix of luck and miracle) that however stung them into a winning spirit to end the season 5th on the log. Struggling to adjust to modern soccer management trends is not unique to Manzini. Their counterparts in Mbabane; Mbabane Highlanders and Mbabane Swallows are also struggling in survival mode. They are riven with internal rifts which has forced their current administration out of office. A new management committee is yet to come in place.
Similarly, Mbabane Highlanders appeared to have found a stable footing with the return of their long-time supporter, Rubber Simelane. But Simelane’s morale is being tested by internal dynamics to the point that he has been rumoured to have considered quitting.
