The winds of change are blowing at Mamelodi Sundowns, with two club legends relieved of coaching jobs at Chloorkop.
Sundowns’ sporting director Flemming Berg is effecting changes at the DStv Premiership champions.
The Dane joined Sundowns exactly a year ago and has overseen several technical changes at the Brazilians at all levels.
The most notable change was within the first team. Rulani Mokwena was elevated to the head coach position, while Manqoba Mngqithi, previously co-coached with Mokwena, was demoted to third in charge last year in October.
WHICH SUNDOWNS LEGENDS AXED?
Late last year, the club suspended Marcus Mashilo, the senior team’s assistant goalkeeper’s coach, and Riedoh Berdien, who served as the fitness and conditioning coach.
While Berdien was sent packing before the expiry of his contract in June, Mashilo returned to the club and is now part of the youth structures.
FARPost can reveal that Joel ‘Fire’ Masilela and Isaac Shai are no longer part of the club’s coaching structures.
Fire was in charge of the Under 15s while Shai coached the club’s Under 17s.
“They were told they couldn’t be involved with the coaching in the club’s juniors. They were then given time to go and think about where they would want to serve within the club.
“Obviously, they both played the game for the club and enjoyed the coaching. They’ve won trophies with the junior teams, and coaching is what they want.
“So it’s a bit tricky for them. The offer was to have them become House Fathers at the Academy.
“It would seem they’re not keen on the offer. But the issue is whether they can maintain the club’s coaching standards at youth level,” a source told FARPost.
COACHING PERCY TAU
Masilela played for the Sundowns senior team between 1990 and 2002, winning the league title, Bob Save, BP Top Eight, and Iwisa Charity Spectacular, among other trophies.
The speedy winger joined the club in 1989, spending a year in the Under 19s before he was promoted to the senior team. After hanging his boots, he returned to the club to coach the junior team.
Shai, on the other hand, featured in over 300 official matches for Sundowns between 1992 and 2004.
Shai is credited for coaching Percy Tau at the Under 15 level at the club’s academy, housed at Clapham High School in Pretoria. He guided Clapham to the Copa Coca-Cola title.
The club’s head of academy, Shawn Bishop, refused to comment, directing all enquiries to the club’s media department.
“No, I don’t know why you’re calling me. The club’s media department is responsible for that,” Bishop told FARPost.
Shai also refused to shed light on the matter, insisting he was still part of the Sundowns family. Efforts to get a comment from the club’s media department were fruitless.
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