Chaos at Durban City: Can Pitso Dladla steady the ship as Nedbank Cup quarter-final looms
PITSO Dladla's understand of Durban City will be vital for the club to find some stability amid recent coaching changes.
Image: Sibonelo Ngcobo/Independent Newspapers
DUE to recent developments at Durban City FC, having recently fired two coaches — the veteran Gavin Hunt and upcoming Sinethemba Badela — in quick succession, the big question on everyone’s mind is what is actually going on as far the club’s technical team is concerned.
Badela was hired in January and released after only three games, one of them the Nedbank Cup Last 32 win over Chippa United.
Hunt, a veteran of over 1000 matches as a coach in the topflight of South African football, was released in December leaving his first season with the Durban side halfway through.
Before Hunt’s departure, Ernst Middendorp had recently been reappointed in his technical director role, which he had vacated some months before that.
Currently occupying the coaching hot seat of City is Pitso Dladla, who served as assistant coach to Hunt, Badela and under Simo Dladla who promoted the club to the Premiership.
Dladla’s familiarity with the club could very well be the only reason for the club to be hopeful to advance to the last eight of the Nedbank Cup.
“What has helped me is that I was with the team last season and before that. This season I know most of the players, and am more familiar with the culture of the team, otherwise it would have been a little difficult,” said Dladla.
Talking about the match at the Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs Stadium, Upington on Saturday afternoon (3pm kick-off), Dladla said:
“The good thing is that we are familiar with travelling to Upington (in Northern Cape) since we have recently been promoted. We understand the hardship of travelling there, more especially when going by bus.
“We are also grateful of the efforts made by the club management, the PSL and Nedbank as they arranged for us the two flights from Durban to Johannesburg and to Upington. That will be much better than travelling by bus.
“It is a very very difficult fixture, we do not want to talk about weather conditions as we have been notified by our analysts guys that it can even reach up to 40°C in that region.”
Dladla further clarified that, at this stage, he has no ambition to take the position of head coach permanently, but is happy to serve as the interim. This means City are currently looking for a coach to lead their technical team, though most unattached coaches will likely be sceptical of taking the position, as it is clear the door is revolving.