Maritzburg explain Barkers’ departure
Pietermaritzburg - Maritzburg United spokesperson Brian Zuma has outlined the reasons behind the outgoing head coach, Clive Barker‘s departure from the Team of Choice after being at the helm for only two months despite having a two year contract.
It appeared that Maritzburg under Barker may have turned the corner with their last two results which saw them beating the University of Pretoria 1-0 and then a 1-1 draw at home against the reigning champions Kaizer Chiefs.
But the Team of Choice are still bottom of the table, with just five points from 11 fixtures.
Zuma revealed that the 1996 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) winning coach took a brave decision by putting the club interests before his own.
“The coach resigned after a meeting with the Chairman discussing the current situation and the way forward.” Zuma told Sport24 in an exclusive interview on Tuesday
“A strategic decision had to be made regarding the club retaining its PSL status, and the coach decided to put the club’s interests ahead of his.”
With former Golden Arrows mentor Shaun Bartlett and Clinton Larsen formerly with Bloemfontein Celtic still clubless, Zuma stressed that the Kwazulu Natal based outfit are not yet considering one of the duo but the management team will have a meeting to discuss a way forward and they will unveil the new coach in three weeks’ time.
“There are many clubless coaches, not just the two you have mentioned.” Zuma insisted
“The Chairman and his board will be looking for a coach that will be up to the task of steering the club away from the dreaded relegation zone we find ourselves in.
“Therefore an announcement will be made when the process of engagement has been finalised.
“At most three weeks.” said Zuma.
Manqele: Chiefs starting to gel
Cape Town - Kaizer Chiefs striker Edward Manqele is confident Steve Komphela's plans are finally starting to come together.
Amakhosi had a tumultuous start to the season, having lost Stuart Baxter as well as the 2014/15 Player of the Year, Tefu Mashamaite, in the off-season.
The club made it to the final of the MTN8 before disappointingly losing out to Ajax Cape Town and they have not been at their best in the Absa Premiership, occupying fourth position after 11 games in their quest to retain the title.
Along with the appointment of Komphela to replace Baxter, a number of new players were brought in, Manqele being one of them after joining from Chippa United.
The upheaval makes the stuttering start somewhat understandable but, with the Telkom Knockout final on the horizon, Manqele is confident the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to come together nicely.
"At the start of the season there were new players and a new coach who came in as well. They all needed time to understand each other and gel," he told Soccer Laduma.
"I think now we are starting to gel and, as players, we know and understand what the coach wants. That is helping the team get results.
"There were many factors at the start of the season which made us play differently to how we are playing now, but the good thing is that we have been doing well since the start of the season.
"For me, I already knew the coach from our days at Free State Stars, but now the whole team understands him better."
Etoile du Sahel 1-0 Orlando Pirates (2-1 agg): The Red
Devils beat Bucs to lift the 2015 Caf Confederation Cup title
Etoile du Sahel lifted the 2015 Caf Confederation Cup trophy after beating Orlando Pirates 1-0 at the Stade Olympique de Sousse and 2-1 on aggregate on Sunday
Absa Premiership giants Orlando Pirates were out to make history by defeating Tunisian outfit Etoile du Sahel and lift their first ever Caf Confederation Cup title.
The home side saw most of the ball in the opening stages of the encounter with striker Baghdad Bounedjah looking lively for them.
Pirates goalkeeper Felipe Ovono came out rushing his off goal-line five minutes into the game to deny Bounedjah a strike at goal.
The Buccaneers were presented with a golden opportunity to break the deadlock in the 17th minute, but Thabo Rakhale placed his low strike wide of the target from close range.
It was the Red Devils who broke the deadlock six minutes later when Ovono failed to hold onto the ball and Ammar Jemal pounced tapping the ball home to make it 1-0 to Sahel.
Substitute Acosta, who had replaced injured Bounedjah, forced Equatorial Guinea international Ovono into a good save from outside the box in the 28th minute.
Sahel continued to dominate possession and in the 36th minute Brazilian striker Acosta's header went just over the cross-bar.
Bucs striker Kermit Erasmus was set through on goal twice a few minutes before the interval, but he was ruled off-side on both occasions.
The visitors forced back-to-back corner-kicks in the opening stages of the second-half and they were well defended against by Sahel.
Rakhale had a chance to restore parity in the 58th minute inside the Sahel box, but keeper Aymen Mathlouthi reacted quickly and collected the ball before the winger could shoot at goal.
In the 64th minute, Sahel striker Acosta rose highest inside the Pirates box to head over the cross-bar without troubling shot-stopper Ovono.
Pirates head coach Eric Tinkler made a double substitute in the 70th minute introducing Sifiso Myeni and Menzi Masuku for Rakhale and Mpho Makola.
Myeni tried to make an immediate impact in the 82nd minute, but his long range effort went wide of the target with time running out for the away side.
With five minutes left on the clock, Bucs striker Thamsanqa Gabuza unleashed a shot from the edge of the Sahel box and Mathlouthi produced a brilliant save to deny the centre forward.
In the 90th minute, Pirates were awarded a free-kick just outside the Sahel box and Myeni forced captain Mathlouthi into a great save.
Sahel held onto their slender lead and emerged 1-0 winners on the day. The Red Devils won 2-1 on aggregate and lifted the 2015 Caf Confederation Cup title.
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