Joel Masutha
By Refilwe Sebola
Former Baroka FC coach Joel Masutha has been appointed as the head coach of Black Leopards.
His appointment comes after the resignation of Zeca Marques, who had joined the club only a month ago. Marques, who replaced Maxwell Konadu, stepped down allegedly after being demoted from head coach to second assistant coach.
Leopards’ management was reportedly dissatisfied with the team’s results and aimed to strengthen their chances of securing a playoff spot.
Under Marques’ leadership, the team played five matches, recording two wins, two draws, and one loss.
As many soccer pundits predicted, Masutha was the preferred candidate for the job due to his previous success with the club, having helped promote them to the Premier Soccer League (PSL). He will be assisted by the highly qualified Amos Makhubele in his new role.
Currently, Black Leopards sit in seventh place with 31 points from 22 games, just five points behind second-placed Kruger United, who have 36 points from the same number of matches.
To secure a spot in the promotional playoffs, Leopards need to win at least six of their remaining eight matches. However, they face a tough challenge, with upcoming games against the league’s top two teams, Durban City and Kruger United, as well as difficult derbies against Baroka and Venda FC.
Leopards’ next match is at home against Baroka at Thohoyandou Stadium next Saturday, followed by another home game against Venda FC.