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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

PREMIERSHIP football giants Highlanders have appointed Portuguese Baltemar Jose De Oliveira Brito as their new head coach until December 2023.

Brito’s arrival was announced in a press statement by the club this Friday morning, ending the swirling speculation over the post which fell vacant two weeks ago following the sacking of Mandla Mpofu.

Club legend Joel Lupahla has been holding fort in the interim but does not have the required CAF A badges. Brito is a holder of UEFA Pro coaching licence and has vast experience in Africa and Europe, both as head coach and as assistant.

“Highlanders Football Club is pleased to announce Portuguese Baltemar Jose De Oliveira Brito as the new coach of the club’s first team, taking over from coach Mandla Mpofu who recently parted ways with the club on mutual consent.

“He will be in charge of the team up to December 2023. Brito is a UEFA Pro coaching license holder with vast experience, having worked as Jose Mourinho’s assistant coach at FC Porto in Portugal, Chelsea in England, and Inter Milan in Italy.

“Brito has won two UEFA Champions League titles, one UEFA Cup, two English Premier League titles, two Portuguese League titles, two Italian Championships, and one FA cup among other cups in his coaching career.

“Brito comes with an assistant coach Antonio Joao Martins Leao Torres from Portugal who is a holder of a UEFA B coaching licence. The entire structure of the current technical team will be announced in due course. We wish the coaches the best of luck,” said the statement from Bosso.

The 70-year-old Brito was born in Brazil and is a former professional footballer who played as a central defender mostly in Portugal.

It was not immediately clear if he will be on the bench when Highlanders host Harare City at Barbourfields on Sunday.

Fixtures:
Today:
Yadah v Bulawayo Chiefs (NSS)

Saturday:
Herentals v ZPC Kariba (NSS), Bulawayo City v Black Rhinos (Barbourfields), Cranborne Bullets v FC Platinum (Sakubva)

Sunday:
CAPS Utd v Dynamos (NSS), Highlanders v Harare City (Barbourfields), Manica Diamonds v Tenax (Sakubva), Triangle v Chicken Inn (Gibbo), Whawha v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Ascot)