Amukelani “JayJay” Hlongwani has taken over the reigns as interim coach at Baroka.
By: Refilwe Sebola
Joel “Moporofeta” Masutha has resigned as the head coach of Baroka FC following a staggering 5-1 loss to bottom-placed Venda FC whom he beat 4-2 in the first round in December last year.
Before this match, it was evident that Masutha would not receive a long-term contract, as his current three-month agreement is set to expire this month.
Although team owner Khurishi Mphahlele had publicly expressed interest in retaining the experienced coach long-term, this was contingent on obtaining positive results. Masutha only lost once in his last nine games and successfully guided the team to the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup competition, however rumors suggested that Baroka’s management was secretly dissatisfied with the coach’s overall performance, which may have ultimately led to his resignation after just one loss. Amukelani “JayJay” Hlongwani, who previously served as the assistant coach, will take over as interim coach. Hlongwani’s last outing in this role saw him lead the team to a convincing 3-1 victory over Leruma United in November of last year. Additionally, Masutha is expected to return to Black Leopards, the club he famously promoted to the Premier Soccer League in 2018.
Joel Masutha.