Belgian club players go on strike for reinstatement of a South African coach

Belgian-based coach Masilo Modubi has been making headlines this week following a much-publicised strike by players to demand his reinstatement.

The former Bafana Bafana player is currently the head coach of third-tier Belgian side KESK Leopoldsburg. A position he has held since 2020.

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Last season, the club fell short of a promotion after making it to the promotion playoffs under the guidance of the 38-year-old.

Reports coming out of Belgium are that Modubi had quit his role a week ago. According to https://www.nieuwsblad.be/, the South African coach had a fallout with the management of the club promoting his resignation.

But the decision did not sit well with the players who took it upon themselves to force the club to retain the coach. The action included the players boycotting training during the week until their demands were met.

PLAYERS DEMAND REINSTATEMENT OF COACH MASILO MODUBI

“We stood up as a group,” striker Stef Pluymers was quoted by the publication.

“After the coach resigned there was a lot of back and forth called by players. From those conversations turned out to be an enormous support to the trainer,” he said.

Meanwhile, club boss Marcel Bosmans has also told the same publication that they are fully behind Modubi.

“We keep Masilo Modubi on board and the players promised to achieve and that we would never worry about ending up in relegation,” he said.

Modubi, a former Chelsea [England] and Westerlo [Belgium] is a popular figure in Leopoldsburg after what he has achieved with the club.

He is labeled the African Pep Guardiola after making a name for himself as a coach in Belgium. He was linked with a return to South Africa towards the end of last season but nothing came out of it. 

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