Johannesburg - Spaniard Jose Riveiro and Frenchmen Romain Folz are barely a year into their roles as the coaches of 2022 MTN8 finalists Orlando Pirates and AmaZulu.
But one of them is set to join an elite list of foreign coaches that have won the crown, as Mihlali Baleka looks at those men who've won the MTN8 in recent years.
Ruud Krol – Orlando Pirates
Dutchman Krol guided Pirates to a treble in 2011 and that began by winning the MTN8 after beating Soweto rivals Moroka Swallows on penalties.
Julio Leal – Orlando Pirates
Brazilian Leal was an unpopular successor to Krol in 2011. But he achieved the improbable, defending the MTN8 by beating local rivals Kaizer Chiefs.
Zeca Marques – Swallows
Born in Portugal, Marques made a name for himself in South African football, including leading Moroka Swallows to the MTN8 crown in 2012.
Stuart Baxter – Kaizer Chiefs
After winning two trophies in his first season at Chiefs, British-born Baxter also won the MTN8 and league crown during the 2014/15 season.
Josef Zinnbauer – Orlando Pirates
German-born coach Zinnbauer was unpopular when he won the Pirates coaching job. But he steered the Sea Robbers to the MTN8 crown in 2020.
Considering that was his first full season at the club, with the plight of Covid-19 all around, a lot was expected from the German after that success.
But his successor Riveiro could go on to achieve the same feat, beating AmaZulu on Saturday to prove that he and Zinnbauer are not ‘plumbers’.
IOL Sport