adminJOHANNESBURG. — Several Zimbabwean coaches have tried their luck in the DStv Premiership but only a few like Roy Barreto and Kaitano Tembo have good memories.
Roy Barreto led Orlando Pirates to their 2002/03 title but after him, there have been more lows than highs for Zimbabwean coaches in South Africa.
Even the highly-rated pair of Joey Antipas and Norman Mapeza tried but they did not last long. Bruce Grobbelaar coached teams that included SuperSport United, Umtata Bush Bucks and Manning Rangers but had little success.
Sunday Chidzambwa also attempted his luck in South Africa and so did Ian Gorowa but it wasn’t a success story.
Veteran Shepherd Murape coached the likes of Orlando Pirates, Swallows, Amazulu, Qwa Qwa Stars but with little success.
It is Kaitano Tembo who emerges as the only Zimbabwean coach with a decent record in South Africa. By staying as SuperSport United head coach from 2018 to 2022, Tembo became the first Zimbabwean coach to last that long at a DStv Premiership club.
“Tembo has done well in South Africa. The fact that he spent so much time at SuperSport United as a player and in the team’s structures helped him.
“Others did well but he (Kaitano Tembo) has done enough to be better than others. Right now there is no Zimbabwean coaching in the DStv Premiership. He was the last man standing,”Chidzambwa said.
Tembo also became the second Zimbabwean to help a South African club win a knockout competition silverware.
The late Peter Nyama was the first when he won the Coca-Cola Cup in 1994 with Qwa Qwa Stars. Under Tembo, SuperSport United reached two MTN8 Cup Finals but won it once after beating Highlands Park in the final of 2019. The 52-year-old took over from Eric Tinkler in March 2018 on an interim basis.
He made a quick turnaround that led the club to make his role permanent.
After leaving SuperSport United, Tembo was appointed as Sekhukune head coach ahead of the 2022/23 season.
He was sadly fired after 12 games and is currently unattached. — FARPost.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter