Johannesburg - Sekhukhune United are the latest club without a coach following the sacking of Kaitano Tembo on Tuesday. Babina Noko made a slow start to the season and have just 11 points after 12 games.
Their next coach will have his work cut-out for him with the immediate focus being on navigating the club away from the relegation zone.
The following are candidates who can potentially take over at Sekhukhune.
John Maduka
Maduka will soon depart Maritzburg United. He was appointed to coach the Team of Choice at the start of the season but they are in last place on the log.
Things did not go according to plan for the 52-year-old at the Harry Gwala Stadium but truth be told, the club has been struggling for years due to a lack of resources. Maduka is a better tactician than his time with Maritzburg suggests as he led Royal AM to a third place finish last season, in what was the controversial Durban-based club’s first season in the South African top-flight.
Brandon Truter
Truter recently left AmaZulu after leadingd Usuthu to the semi-finals of the MTN8. While Truter’s tactics are not the most attractive to watch, they are defensive and cautious. These tactics can be beneficial when it comes to a relegation battle.
Sekhukhune must take time to be realistic about their prospects this season. While a lot will change between now and the end of the season, they cannot realistically expect to move up the standings significantly unless they strengthen in the January transfer window.
If they just want to ensure that they retain their Premiership status this season, Truter could be a good option. The Cape Town-born mentor knows how to create stability in a time of challenge. He brought Swallows FC to the top-flight after several years of challenges for one of South Africa’s oldest professional football clubs.
After taking over from Benni McCarthy as AmaZulu coach towards the end of last season, he led Usuthu to a top eight finish despite the team playing poorly at the time of his arrival.
Lehlohonolo Seema
Seema will not be the most attractive option available, but he has a wealth of experience working as a coach in South Africa having previously led Black Leopards, Chippa United and, most recently, Golden Arrows.
If the focus for Sekhukhune is on getting the team to do the basics right again and to have a calming influence on squad morale, Seema could be a decent option.
IOL Sport