New Leopards coach sets sights on reclaiming lost pride
Rodwell Dhlakama replaces Joel Masutha as the head coach of Black Leopards and has a few short-term goals up his sleeve.
LIMPOPO – Black Leopards will be campaigning in the Motsepe Foundation Championship in the 2022/23 soccer season if their new head coach, Rodwell Dhlakama’s words are anything to go by.
Dhlakama replaced Joel Masutha, who parted ways with the team last week.
The team was guided by assistant coach, Morgan Shivambu when they beat Tshakhuma Tshamadzivhandila 1-0 last Wednesday at Thohoyandou Stadium.
Some of the teams he guided to success in his home country over the past years include Chapungu FC, Ngezi Platinum FC and the Zimbabwean u/17 national team.
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Dhlakama said his aim was to see Lidoda Duvha campaign in the elite division in a year’s time.
He stated that he had been following Black Leopards from abroad for some time and that he was convinced that Leopards were a force to be reckoned with.
He said that he found no reason why a good team like Black Leopards should stay in the Motsepe Foundation Championship for two seasons.
According to him, Leopards should have returned back to the DSTV Premiership Division at the end of last season, when one takes into account the quality of football they display.
Dhlakama further stated that he would make Leopards reclaim their lost pride during his stay with them over the next two years.
The Zimbabwean-born coach entered into a two-year contract with the Thohoyandou outfit last week. Zimbabwean said that some of his short-term goals included winning a league.
“If we manage to win a league, it will be a bonus to the people of Thohoyandou as my primary objective is to win the league title,” he said.
Asked which departments would be the first to be reinforced, Dhlakama said he needed more time to see the team before he could make such kind of recommendations to the management.
“I have learnt that management is negotiating the extension of contracts with some of the players and for that reason I am not sure of the players who will still be with the team at the beginning of the season.”
Dhlakama further stated that he was happy to see that his assistant, Morgan Shivambu, “a man who knows South African football inside and out”, was involved especially at Motsepe Foundation Championship level.
