With only a few games left to wrap up the current campaign, some coaches are already planning on how to bolster their sides next season.
However, others are stuck in uncertainty as they’re unlikely to return for their respective teams in the new term. Orlando Pirates’ Josef Zinnbauer heads the long list of coaches who’re expected to part ways with their clubs at the end of the season.
Despite winning the MTN8, Pirates’ maiden silverware in six years, last December, the 51-year-old is under immense pressure. The German’s questionable tactics like habitually benching natural strikers like Tshegofatso Mabasa and Gabadinho Mhango to deploy a defensive approach have made him an unpopular figure among the Buccaneers faithful.
In the middle of last season, Zinnbauer, whose Bucs deal expires in June next year, inherited a side that had finished as runners-up to Mamelodi Sundowns in the previous two seasons. For all arriving midway through last term, Zinnbauer still guided Bucs to a third-spot finish, a feat that raised expectations he’d challenge Downs this season.
It is clear the gap that was slowly narrowing between Pirates and Downs in the past three seasons is widening this season, meaning the Sea Robbers could shop for a coach who’d make them title challengers again next season.
To his credit, Zinnbauer guided Bucs to the CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinals, where they’ll face Moroccan giants Raja Casablanca over two legs on May 16 (home) and 23 (away). By the look of things, even winning the Confed Cup may not be enough to save Zinnbauer's job.
SuperSport United’s Kaitano Tembo is another coach who's living on borrowed time. SuperSport are enduring their worst form in recent seasons, having now gone 10 league games without a win, with seven draws and three losses.
At the start of the season, Matsatsantsa chief executive Stan Matthews made it clear the mandate for Tembo was to finish in a better position than last season, where they earned a fifth slot. Perhaps Tembo must take the side to at least the fourth spot to keep his job.
Chippa’s Vladislav Heric may have made great strides by winning the past two games (all by 1-0 to Kaizer Chiefs and Bloemfontein Celtic), but history suggests than his boss Siviwe Mpengesi could sack him immediately when he starts putting his foot wrong in their fight for survival.
This week, Cape Town City put their mentor Jan Olde Riekerink on an “administrative leave with immediate affect”. In their brief tweet, City didn’t specify why the Dutchman was suspended.
City were humiliated 5-1 by AmaZulu, who're coached by their former coach Benni McCarthy, last Wednesday, before losing 0-1 to TS Galaxy three days later.
Other coaches whose destiny will be decided by performances are John Maduka of Celtic and Black Leopards’ Lehlohonolo Seema, no matter the fate of of his bottom-placed team at the end.
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