Cape Town Spurs have made a decision on coach Shaun Bartlett’s future seven games into the team’s disastrous return to SA’s topflight.
The DStv Premiership returnees had to do something dramatic to arrest the fall from grace as their position on the log standings is perilous.
With Bartlett at the wheel, CT Spurs have endured a poor start to the 2023/24 season, suffering defeats in all their opening seven DStv Premiership matches.
In fact, the Urban Warriors are the first side in the history of the PSL to lose their opening seven games of a season.
Bartlett said his team’s lack of pre-season training was a major handicap. His troops had to focus on the PSL relegation/promotion playoffs instead. In addition, the coach is missing some of his key players, such as Boitumelo Radiopane due to injury.
The loss in the Cape Town Derby against Cape Town City was the final straw. Bartlett was shown the exit door at Ikamva on Monday morning.
CT Spurs’ 3-1 defeat against CT City on Saturday at the DHL Stadium was Bartlett’s last game in charge.
The Bafana Bafana legend is the first coaching casualty in the DStv Premiership this campaign. This is despite CT Spurs’ management stating that they back the coach to turn things around. The club released a statement last month in support of Bartlett following reports last month that the tactician will be fired.
Cape Town Spurs and Shaun Bartlett part ways
“Following an extensive review and discussions with Shaun Bartlett and taking into consideration the current set of results. We have mutually agreed to the termination of the head coach’s contract with immediate effect,” reads the club statement.
“The club wishes to place on record our appreciation for Shaun’s work during his time at the club most significantly promoting the club back to the PSL. We recognise this is not an easy decision for all parties.
“But it has been taken with the club’s long-term interest at heart. Everyone at Cape Town Spurs wishes Shaun Bartlett all the best in his future coaching career.
“CEO Alexi Efstathiou and Technical Director Sean Connor have already begun the re-structure of the coaching set-up at the club. A shortlist of candidates has been identified and an announcement is expected imminently.”
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