Ruthless Lions of the North on the prowl

Highlands Park coach Owen Da Gama has steadfastly ignored requests for an interview with the North Eastern Tribune to highlight his amazing achievements.

Da Gama has had a string of impressive successes since taking over the coaching reigns at the club late last year.

Numerous requests for interviews have been sent through the Balfour Park-based club’s media liaison officer, Sibonelo Ngidi. The initial response was that an interview would be set up after the team’s practice on a Wednesday but many Wednesdays have come and gone since then.

Tribune editor Sipho Siso had wanted to report on the team’s preparations for the forthcoming first round Nedbank Cup away tie against Stellenbosch on 14 February.

At the Nedbank Cup launch, the Tribune team managed to take photos of Da Gama and was hoping they would have an audience with him soon after the formalities were over, but to their surprise, the coach slipped out of the function in haste and was nowhere to be found.

But as elusive as Da Gama is, Highlands Park is proving difficult to catch in the National First Division League as they top the standings. The club is set for a quick return to the Absa Premiership if they can sustain their current form and momentum.

Da Gama has managed a clean run for his team since he took over in September last year, winning 10 matches and drawing two.

Highlands top the log on 41 points from 20 games, while their nearest rivals, Tshakuma Tsha Madzivhandila FC, better known as TTM FC, trail them on 33 points from the same number of games.

With only 10 games to go before the close of the current season, there seems to be nothing stopping the cruising vehicle of Highlands Park from regaining their Premier Soccer League status they lost last year.

And if they keep firing on all cylinders, they stand a good chance of going far in the country’s richest football cup, the Nedbank Cup.

The Lions of the North are on the prowl.