Nyirenda in line to guide Baroka
Limpopo club confirms talks with Zambia legend
Expect big changes at Limpopo side Baroka as they prepare for next season.
Sowetan has received information from two sources at the club that the new coach would be Wedson Nyirenda, the Zambian who played for Kaizer Chiefs in the 90s.
Nyirenda, 52, was at the club two days ago and is believed to have already put pen to paper, but Baroka boss Khurishi Mphahlele insisted that it’s not yet a done deal. “We haven’t signed him yet, because we are still negotiating,” Mphahlele told Sowetan.
“He came to us [on Tuesday] and we have put an offer on the table,” he added.
According to our second informant, one of Nyirenda’s demands was that he would bring his own assistant and physical trainer, which is likely to be met. These positions are vacant after McDonald Makhubedu, who served as assistant and later caretaker coach, left Baroka, so is physical trainer John Smith.
Baroka had stated that they wanted a coach with some experience on the continent and Nyirenda fits the bill, having coached the Zambia, as well as the likes of Zanaco at club level.
Nyirenda was just one of at least five coaches to be linked with the club in recent weeks.
The most recent was Bloemfontein Celtic’s coach, Veselin Jelusic and before that Kosta Papic and Nikola Kavazovic had been tipped to take over.
Baroka have released Punch Masenamela, Rhulani Sidumo, Sipho Moeti, Robin Ngalande, Lucky Nguzana, Mamphise Moremi, Tshinuna Avhashoni and Mzwanele Mahashe.
They are expected to unveil Bheki Maliba (Mbombela), Mashale Rantabane (Mthatha Bucks) and Orebotse Mongae (Jwaneng Galaxy, Botswana).