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Top coaches without a PSL job

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epa09932459 Al Ahly's head coach Pitso Mosimane reacts during the CAF Champions League soccer match between Al Ahly SC and ES Setif in Cairo, Egypt, 07 May 2022. EPA/KHALED ELFIQI
  • Post published:December 22, 2023

Cavin Johnson had been out for almost a year before Kaizer Chiefs made him head of youth and now interim first team coach.

Ernst Middendorp’s absence from the game was about half that time before he recently took over at beleaguered Cape Town Spurs.

Who are the other coaches currently without a job who have had recent DStv Premiership experience and who are waiting in the wings for another opportunity? MTNFC investigates those likely to be next into a hotseat.

SHAUN BARTLETT: The first coach fired this season after a horror start to the campaign from newly promoted Cape Town Spurs but still revered for his playing career with Bafana Bafana. He has taken two clubs out of the National First Division to the top flight, first Lamontville Golden Arrows in 2015 and then Spurs last season. He has also coached at University of Pretoria and as an interim coach at TS Galaxy.

OWEN DA GAMA: Da Gama was still playing when he took charge of Durban-based Leeds United in 1988 as player-coach. He made his name with Silver Stars, promoting them in 2003 and seeing them to 2006 Telkom Knockout success, and also had stints in charge of Orlando Pirates, Free State Stars, Bloemfontein Celtic, Highlands Park and TS Galaxy., His last job was with Sekhukhune United but he has not worked in the top flight for some 18 months now.

GORDON IGESUND: The 68-year-old veteran, who won four league titles with four different clubs, itching to get back into the game, having set up his academy in Cape Town over the last years. The former Bafana Bafana coach has been in charge of 15 different top flight clubs, winning the title first with Manning Rangers, then Orlando Pirates, Santos and Mamelodi Sundowns. His last club was Highlands Park in the 2017-18 season.

DYLAN KERR: Let go by Marumo Gallants after relegation at the end of last season, which contrast with a run to the semi-final of the African Confederation Cup. He returned to England for the holidays and is now considering a coaching post in the United States. He had taken charge of over 100 matches in his career in South Africa and won the Nedbank Cup with Tshakhuma tsha Madzivhandila. His other clubs have been Black Leopards, Baroka and Swallows.

PITSO MOSIMANE: After his last jobs in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, is Mosimane going to settle for a job back home or stay on the international circuit, where the money is a lot better? A chance to take charge of Kaizer Chiefs, the club he supported as a boy, or Pirates might be tempting, especially if there is a budget to buy players to take on Sundowns.

BRANDON TRUTER: Sacked by Sekhukhune United last month, the Cape Town-born coach will be a candidate for another job soon. He made his name promoting Swallows to the National First Division in 2020 and then a record-breaking 20 draws in their first top flight season. After Swallows he was at AmaZulu before a spell at Sekhukhune, who he took to last season’s Nedbank Cup final.