Exactly 3 years to the day, 15th November 2013, Madze Harris Bulunga took charge of his first match as Sihlangu coach against Bafana Bafana. It was literally being thrown into the deep end, as I only had 4 days to prepare the team after the unceremonious departure of the Belgian, Valerie Billen. The team had not won a match for almost 18 months, let alone score a goal, leading to renowned journalist Lwazi Dlamini to boldly state that whoever scored for Sihlangu must be made chief. .The team duly scored their first goal in only his second match, a 1-1 draw against Mozambique, slowly but surely built the team into a competitive unit. In February 2014, he was given the team as the full-time head coach on a 1 year contract.

Results were encouraging, but it was still a work in progress. In February 2015, his contract was extended by only 6 months (that shows how much trust the FA had in us )and we led the team to the COSAFA CUP in Rustenburg, where we bowed out in the group stages despite accumulating 7 points from 3 matches. Everyone could see that the team was progressing, hence an extension to September 2016.

These last 13 months have been the best in the country's football history. Sihlangu beat African power houses Guinea twice, held powerful nations like Nigeria, beat Zambia, and DRC (to mention a few )during the COSAFA CUP in Namibia, receiving a Bronze medal for our efforts. In the AFCON qualifiers, we had 4 points in 2 matches, leading the group, and the Gabon 2017 dream was on. He believes Sihlangu could have qualified, if the technical bench was left to lead the team as before, but it wasn't to be. 

His contract expired on 30th September (He was not fired , and he leaves the team walking tall with a lot of pride. His reign has been the longest of any previous coach, 37 matches, with a 40 % win rate, the nation is back behind the team, and the Sihlangu brand has been revived. Players have become household names again, and some have won professional contracts and individual recognition. .
The records he has set and the legacy he leaves with remains forever entrenched  in Swaziland's history books, and he can only wish the association all the best in the new direction they are taking with the team, and all to the players who lifted the team from 186 to 100 in the FIFA Rankings.

Only for him to then be cast aside and away like a parasite. For how long will Swazi soccer suffer because of power hungry men who are using this beautiful sport and all this talent to quench their greed. For how long will Swaziland be a laughing stock because of men who think they own the sport? For how how long will #BrandSwaziland be a laughing stock despite all the potential we have as a nation? 

The madness has to end now!!!

Madze has done very well, he doesn't deserve this. We want him back yesterday.

RESCUE US!!

SIGN! SIGN!! SIGN!!