Ex Thlothlokwe Golden Syrup coach Moses “Pokker” Malatji.
By: Refilwe Sebola
Thlothlokwe Golden Syrup has officially announced the departure of coach Moses “Pokker” Malatji.
This confirmation was made by team manager Thabo Moremi on Tuesday. Malatji, who previously coached Winnerspark, was brought in to replace Earnest Mamanyoha last year in November. However, despite his efforts, he could not improve the team’s fortunes, leaving them at the bottom of the league standings with only three points after 13 games. Under his leadership, the team secured two draws and suffered five losses in seven matches.
Malatji’s tenure at the club got off to a rough start, beginning with a 3-0 loss to Black Leopards at the old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. This was followed by setbacks against Musina (2-0), Winnerspark (2-0), and two 1-0 defeats to White Vultures and Nkowankowa Continental. His only two draws were against formidable opponents, Mpheni Defenders and Tzaneen United.
In comparison, Malatji’s record mirrors that of Mamanyoha, who also faced five losses and one draw in six matches. Both coaches managed to draw against Tzaneen United, but the difference lies in Mamanyoha’s team having a higher goal concession rate.
In a decisive move to rejuvenate the squad, Golden Syrup has appointed the seasoned coach Zungu Nkosi, who has already taken the reins as of Tuesday. Nkosi is set to lead the team in their highly anticipated home game against Munaca this Saturday, where he aims to inspire a turnaround in their performance.