Orlando Pirates have parted ways with one of their rising junior development coaches, Simon Marange, after seven years at the club.
Marange was slowly carving a niche as a junior development coach at the Soweto giants. Between 2018 and 2020, he was the Pirates Under-17 coach, where he helped them win the Future Champions Trophy.
At the time of his departure from the club, he was serving as the Under-21s coach. Moreover, his strides at Orlando Pirates earned him a place in the Zimbabwe National Team ranks. At first, he was appointed as the Under-20 head coach in March 2024.
Most recently, he was entrusted with the Emerging Warriors team that took part in the COSAFA 2025 tournament. Under his guidance, they managed a second-place finish in the group phase. Bafana Bafana were their group winners.
COACH SIMON MARANGE EXITS ORLANDO PIRATES AFTER SEVEN YEARS
In a FARPost interview last month, Marange paid tribute to the former Pirates coaches who shaped his abilities, naming Fadlu Davids, Rulani Mokwena, Josef Zinnbauer, Mandla Ncikazi, Mandla Qhogi, and Joseph Makhanya.
Marange announced his departure from Orlando Pirates on his X [formerly Twitter] account on Saturday.
He said: “Seven years, incredible teams, unbelievable talents, obsessed staff. Thank you for giving me a platform to chase my dreams.
“Forever in my heart, Orlando Pirates. Thank you, management, for the faith, support and lessons learnt. Thank you to everyone who took this journey with me. Till next time.”
During his seven-year tenure, he worked hand in glove with senior coaches, including Davids, Mokwena, Zinnbauer and Ncikazi.
In the junior ranks, he mainly worked with Mandla Qhogi and the current Buccaneers DDC coach, Joseph Makhanya.
It remains to be seen where Marange is headed, but his exploits at Pirates have helped raise his name in Zimbabwe’s coaching circles. The youthful gaffer has never coached in Zimbabwe at a professional level.
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