Ndlazi latest coaching casualty in NFD
The firing of former national under-23 assistant coach Kenny Ndlazi by National First Division club Atlie FC this week brings to seven the number of managerial changes in the second tier of South African professional football this year.
Ndlazi was dismissed on Monday after the new-look club, formerly known as Nathi Lions and moved at the start of the season to Tembisa, continue to struggle to find form in the early stages of the season, which is just over a third of the way completed.
Ndlazi had been brought in soon after the start of the season to replace former Bafana Bafana coach Styles Phumo, who been ill and unfit to work regularly.
Khabo Zondo, former Lamontville Golden Arrows and Mamelodi Sundowns coach, is fancied to return to Tembisa, where he first made his name in charge of Classic.
"We took over Nathi Lions FC with Styles Phumo who was a Head Coach for the former team. We had no intentions and we didn't want Styles Phumo as a Head Coach. We offered him a job as a Technical Director. This means we didn't have a coach.
"We then came across Sello Chokoe whom we agreed that he was still young and we will make him an Assistant Coach. This was before we could even approach him. Sello accepted the job. This means we still didn't have a coach.
"Shortly, we then met with Kenny Ndlazi whom we offered the Head Coach position to. So we only had one Coach. Kenny Ndlazi was our first coach. The next coach after Kenny Ndlazi will be our second coach," said Atlie FC CEO Andrew Mosesi.
Newly promoted Sivutsa Stars are also expected to name their third coach of the season after firing Innocent Mayoyo.
The eccentric former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper failed to win a game after being brought in to replace MacDonald Makhubedu.
Club owner Derick Khoza told reporters he is expecting a new coach to be in place by the weekend.
Also recently fired are Conti Kubheka, another former national under-23 coach, at Witbank Spurs, where the club’s owner Themba Mafu has taken charge and ensured their first victory one week ago.
Ethiopian Anteneh Eshete has been replaced at bottom-placed United FC by Duncan Lechesa in the last fortnight also.
Another early season coaching casualty came after just two matches at newly promoted Cape Town side Chippa FC, who replaced Mike Lukhubeni with much-travelled Mlungisi ‘Professor’ Ngubane, who has turned around their fortunes and steered them up to fifth place in the NFD standings.