KELVIN KAINDU is bullish about his prospects of turning Highlanders into a force again on the domestic Premiership.

The Zambian coach arrived in Bulawayo on Monday and immediately got down to business with his new employers.

Kaindu, who played for Bosso, replaces Mkhupali Masuku as the head coach of the country's oldest football club.

Highlanders have, except on rare occasions, constantly trusted their former players to coach the team.

Bitter rivals, Dynamos, also follow that tradition of keeping the coaching responsibilities within the family.

Kaindu met the entire Highlanders' executive of chairman Themba Ndlela, his deputy Sikhanyiso Moyo, secretary-general, Andrew Tapela, treasurer Odiel Nkomo and committee member Wisdom Mabhena.

Kaindu was ecstatic about his reunion with Bosso, a team he played for during the 1997 and 1998 seasons.

He said he wanted to achieve more as a coach than what he did as a player back home in Zambia where he won several league championships.

He is highly regarded at Zanaco where he captained the club to a number of trophies before retiring to an assistant coach's role at the club.Kaindu said Bosso was his home.

"It's good to be back home. I regard Highlanders as my second home, there is quite a lot that needs to be done and I believe we should work extra hard to achieve these goals," said Kaindu.

"I want to treble my achievements as a coach. Of course, I played for Highlanders but there is a difference coming back as a coach."

Kaindu, a Caf C licence holder, arrived in Zambia from a high-level coaching course he attended for close to a month in England.

He described the course as highly educative and wanted to plough back into the club where he made a big impression in the ‘90s.Recurrent injuries, when he was playing for Bosso, almost ended his career.

"I did the International Coaching Certificate in England, which was taxing, but I am glad to be here in time to prepare for the new season," said Kaindu.

"I learnt a lot in England and I hope my experiences will come in handy in helping the club achieve greater things."

Kaindu will be assisted by Bekithemba Ndlovu and goalkeepers' coach Tembo Chuma.Ndlovu and Chuma have been taking the players through their paces in the absence of Kaindu.

Highlanders' chairman, Ndlela, said they were happy to have Kaindu at the club."We are bringing in a young coach who has played for the club and is highly qualified," said Ndlela.

"Against a background of being the most disciplined player during his days and the top goalscorer, we hope he will take the team to greater heights.

"The kind of contract that we have for our coaches, we want to assure our fans that they are now performance based.

"We will not be keeping the coaches but the coaches will have to keep themselves on the job by performing."

Bosso, the country's second biggest football club, last won the league championship in 2006 under the guidance of former player, Methembe Ndlovu.

Highlanders have endured a lean spell since then, without a league title in the past half-a-dozen years, although they remain the country's most successful football club, on the domestic scene, since the turn of the millennium.

Bosso have won three league titles since 2000, the most by any football club in the country, with their main rivals, Dynamos and CAPS United, winning two league championships each.

In an era where the minnows have roared, Amazulu, Monomotapa, Gunners and Motor Action have all taken turns to win the league championship.

Highlanders' poor run has seen a significant fall in the number of fans who come to watch their home games and Barbourfields, once a fortress for Bosso, has turned into a theatre where visiting teams fulfil their dreams.

Some of the Bosso fans turned against their leadership last season as they demanded a better show from their team and demonstrations became a common feature at Barbourfields during the second half of the season.

Although Highlanders are backed by BancABC, the Bulawayo giants have failed to compete against FC Platinum, in terms of incentives offered to players, and have already wooed the Ngodzo brothers - Joel and Zephaniah - and former skipper Gilbert Banda.Exciting forward Rahman Kutsanzira is reported to have set is sights on joining CAPS United.