Maritzburg United have confirmed that they parted company with Ernst Middendorp, ending his fourth stint with the club.
Middendorp rejoined the club in November 2020 and found the club languishing at the basement of the league table and guided them to survival. The Team of Choice battled for survival in the just-ended season, only finishing “an underwhelming 12th place”.
The club has since disclosed what led to the decision to axe the German. “At a post season board meeting, the directors had expressed their disappointment at the club’s on-field performances over the past 24 months together with the high turnover rate of new player signings during this period.
“As a club, we have invested a lot in football development, especially in the last two years, and the board felt that we cannot be continually fighting relegation. We have therefore taken a decision to take a new route going forward and assemble a team that will bear fruition over the next three year period and have thus parted ways with Ernst,” said Chairman, Farook Kadodia.
In essence, management felt Middendorp did not improve the team’s fortunes.
