Middendorp to ‘visit’ Maritzburg after resigning from Ethiopian side

Former Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp has left Ethiopian Giants St Georges FC and could make a return to the PSL.

Middendorp was fired at Amakhosi after failing to clinch the Absa Premiership (now called the DStv Premiership), with his team giving it away on the last day, allowing Mamelodi Sundowns to overtake them and Sprint to the finish line first.

He was quickly snapped up by the Ethiopian side but he resigned on Tuesday afternoon, a day after Eric Tinkler was fired by the Blue Hearts.

A source has since revealed that the German-born mentor will be in the KwaZulu-Natal capital where Maritzburg are based on Thursday, and might be the club’s guest for their game against SuperSport United on Friday night.

“He is coming back here and I think it is just to iron out a few issues before he is hired. He is a top favourite of the chairman, and they have an understanding. So, I think a deal will be struck and he will be unveiled as coach,” said the source.

Phakaaathi also understands that Maritzburg also wanted Owen Da Gama to take over from Tinkler but he was not too keen.

“Da Gama was uncomfortable with how Tinkler was worked out of the team. He felt the management failed to support Tinkler and worked against him when they fired his assistant without his consent and hired other people. It was like they were already preparing for another coach to come in,” said another source.

Middendorp has some history with Maritzburg and it will be his third stint at the club should he be hired.