A staggering nine head coaches in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) have been sacked or have parted ways with their outfits this season and the number could grow as we approach the critical business end of the 2021-2022 campaign.
Kaitano Tembo and Lehlohonolo Seema are the latest to walk the plank after their respective clubs, SuperSport United and Lamontville Golden Arrows, showed them the revolving door this week.
In this piece, we look at each sacking and how they've affected each of the nine clubs.
Orlando Pirates
Josef Zinnbauer replaced by co-coaches Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids
The Buccaneers are in not a much better position than they were with German coach Zinnbauer last season. The 2020-2021 season was better for Pirates because they won the MTN8, finished third in the DStv Premiership and were knocked out in the last 8 of the Caf Confederations Cup by eventual winners Raja Casablanca.
While Casablanca have made tremendous progress by qualifying for the last 8 of the Caf Champions League, Bucs are again in the last 8 of the Confed Cup where they’re facing Simba FC of Tanzania today. The coaching duo of Ncikazi and Davids is struggling with consistency and won’t be in the Bucs dugout next season if they fail to win the Confed Cup and finish in the Premiership top three.
There’ve been questions why experienced campaigners like Thulani Hlatshwayo and Gabadinho Mhango have been starved of game time at Pirates. The endless reconstruction of Pirates is set to continue next season.
While McCarthy’s booting by AmaZulu was inevitable, Malesela’s appointment at Gallants is the only change with a positive impact at a PSL club
Chippa United
Gavin Hunt replaced by caretaker coach Kurt Leintjies
Chippa Mpengesi fired Hunt in December after he managed to win one, draw four and lose five in 10 league matches. Chippa have since played 14 league matches under interim coach and former player Kurt Leintjies — adding 15 points to what Hunt left them with.
That Mpengesi hasn’t pulled the plug on Leintjies could be because he’s still paying for the early termination of Hunt’s hefty contract. Chippa are in 13th place and will be fighting relegation in their last six matches.
TS Galaxy
Owen da Gama replaced by Sead Ramovic
Galaxy’s situation is similar to Chippa’s, the only difference being that the German is one of the luckiest coaches to be keeping his job, having failed to move the Mpumalanga club from the bottom two.
Da Gama was sacked after collecting one point from a possible 15 in the first five and Ramovic has managed to win three out of 19 league matches since he took over. Ramovic's appointment can only be justified if he saves Galaxy from relegation.
Marumo Gallants
Sebastien Migne replaced by Dan Malesela
This is the only change that has made a positive impact at a PSL club this season. Malesela is once again showing his true mettle, continuing his possession-based philosophy as a way to dominate and win matches.
Malesela joined Galaxy early in November and they were at the bottom of log after failing to win a league match in nine. With Malesela, Gallants have won seven of 15 matches and the new team looks set to survive relegation quite comfortably.
Baroka FC
Matsimela Thoka replaced by Kgoloko Thobejane
If there’s an appointment that will never make sense, it is that of Thobejane, a coach who can’t seem to do any wrong in the eyes of Baroka boss Khurishi Mphahlele.
Thobejane — who might do well as a stand-up comedian — has managed to keep his job despite sliding the Limpopo club to relegation. Since taking over from Thoka in November, Thobejane has won two out of 15 league outings and hasn’t moved the club from the bottom of the log. “Yes it’s tough, but the coach knows what he’s doing,” Mphahlele said recently in Thobejane’s defence. Five games remain for Thobejane to perform his magic.
Swallows FC
Brandon Truter replaced by Dylan Kerr
Dylan Kerr saved Baroka from relegation in the 2019-2020 season, his club denying Kaizer Chiefs the league crown when they held them to a 1-1 draw on the last day of the campaign. Kerr’s predecessor, Truter, did much damage to Swallows with his defensive approach which yielded one victory in 14 league matches this season.
In 10 outings, Kerr has won two and drew five but much work is still needed for the Dube Birds if they’re to get out the relegation quagmire. Kerr’s got experience with Baroka and this might be the tonic Swallows need to survive.
AmaZulu FC
Benni McCarthy replaced by Brandon Truter
Another appointment that doesn’t make sense for a club which has ambitions to finish in the top four. McCarthy’s sacking was inevitable given the souring of relations between him and Usuthu’s boss Sandile Zungu over Sithembile Sithebe’s pending move to Chiefs.
Truter, the only sacked coach to be appointed elsewhere, started well with a last-gasp away win over Baroka last week. But can he keep it going and at least get a top-eight finish? He certainly got a chance, especially with top-eight rivals SuperSport and Arrows having sacked their head coaches this week.
SuperSport United
Kaitano Tembo replaced by caretaker coach Andre Arendse
Tembo’s dismissal was erratic and would have been understandable only if the club still showed ambition. It will be tough for caretaker coach Arendse to keep the club’s record of finishing inside the top eight since the inception of the PSL in 1996-1997.
The young players at United may have still needed Tembo’s steady guidance to see this season through at least.
Golden Arrows
Lehlohonolo Seema replaced by caretaker coaches Mabhudi Khenyeza and Vusumuzi Vilakazi
There are never surprises at Arrows — a club that is always viewed as a stepping stone for coaches and playing personnel. Khenyeza and Vilakazi’s limited experience in the top flight may be a huge gamble at this stage of the campaign. But then again this might be what Arrows youngsters need if they’re to get over that 6-0 humiliation against Mamelodi Sundowns that precipitated Seema’s exit this week.
