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Orlando Pirates are believed to be ready to go into the market for yet another striker in the off-season.  Pirates are believed to already be closing in on DRC striker Andy Boyeli but that doesn’t seem to be enough. They’re also believed to be in the race for Ivorian striker Freddy Michael Kouablan, with archrivals Kaizer Chiefs. The club was already active in the recently concluded January transfer window. The likes of Thabiso Lebitso and Talent Mbatha were roped in by Pirates, who then saw Bienvenu Eva Nga released. Then perhaps, the biggest outgoing was that of club stalwart Thembinkosi Lorch. The playmaker shocked the local football fraternity by securing a deadline-day move to rivals Mamelodi Sundowns. Pirates interested in Aziz Ki Just last week, it was rumoured that they’re monitoring veteran Swati goal machine Sabelo Ndzinisa and Tremaine Eastmond. Pirates have also shown interest in Young Africans (Yanga) star Stephane Aziz Ki. In fact, this publication reported that the club had offered the Burkinabe international a pre-contract. Initially it was suggested that the player was going to reject the contract, preferring to stay put.  Then last week a report suggested that Aziz Ki actually preferred Pirates because he wants to play in the PSL. Now according to his agent, he has received a contract renewal from Yanga.  Yanga offer contract extention “Yes, his (Aziz Ki) contract will finish in June. Therefore, he will be a free agent – a free player, and right now as I am talking to you, I am in Tanzania because the club (Yanga) allowed me to come to discuss. They want to extend his contract. They have even made us the offer, which they sent to me to renew his contract,” said Zambro Traore to Soccer-Laduma.  Aziz Ki has been in superb form for Yanga in the Tanzanian Premier League this season. He has made 20 goal contributions thus far, those coming in 13 goals and seven assists. That is the type of form that has since Pirates send their scouts to the East African country to scout him further.  It now remains to be seen if Pirates can pull off the signing of Aziz Ki ahead of next season.

The attacking midfielder has made 15 league appearances this season, scoring thrice and making one assist. Out of favour Orlando Pirates midfielder Monnapule Saleng is set to submit a transfer request at the end of the season as he looks to get more game time somewhere else, a club insider has revealed. WATCH: Khanye says Kaizer Chiefs have average players Following an impressive 2022/23 season that saw him being named the DStv Premiership Players’ Player of the Season, Saleng has been reduced into a bench warmer at Pirates this season. The attacking midfielder has made 15 league appearances this season, scoring thrice and making one assist. Now a source says Saleng is not happy with how things have turned out for him at Pirates and will request the club to send him out on loan or to release him completely so that he can get game time somewhere. “I think the failed moves at the end of last season affected Monnapule somehow. He was never the same player after that,” said the source. Saleng was linked with a move to Mamelodi Sundowns and other overseas clubs, but the move failed to materialise. ALSO READ: Pirates ready to sell Mabasa, agent confirms talks with overseas club “But he is over that right now and you can see whenever he comes in that he is more focused right now. But it looks like the coach wants to turn him into an impact player and he is not happy with that hence he will ask the club to let him go and play somewhere else,” added the source. Saleng has also played for ORBIT College, Free State Stars and Moroka Swallows  in his career.

1 Manchester United season ticket holders are returning their tickets for Wednesday’s Premier League game against bottom side Sheffield United. Erik ten Hag has suffered an atrocious second season in charge at Old Trafford and it appears fans are beginning to turn their back on the underperforming side. As reported by The Daily Star, some supporters have sent back their tickets for the game against the Blades, with United messaging club members to inform them that more tickets had become available. The club have said that more seats are open for purchase at the Theatre of Dreams “due to the high number of tickets returned by season ticket holders”. A similar message appears on the ticketing section on the club’s website and it may be an unusual case of Old Trafford not being full for the visit of Chris Wilder’s side. It would be an embarrassing situation for a club which can usually fill out the famous old ground multiple times over. However, this season has seen more ridiculousness from players than the sublime and supporters are running out of patience with the consistently inconsistent performances. United’s latest meltdown came on Sunday at Wembley and almost led to the team throwing away an FA Cup final place after taking a three-goal lead into the final 20 minutes against Coventry. The Championship side fought back to force extra-time in which only a tight VAR call spared United’s blushes and eventually allowed them to scrape through via a penalty shootout. Another factor behind the returning of tickets will be the fact the fixture is a rearranged one, and an 8pm kick off on a Wednesday evening isn’t as accessible for some fans as the traditional weekend kick-offs for league games. However, if there are multiple empty seats in the ground this evening, it may well be the final straw for the owners who are currently under pressure to take a decision on Erik ten Hag’s future. United will be expected to comfortably win the game tonight and if they fail to do so, in front of a half-full Old Trafford, it would be a huge shock to see the Dutchman retain his place in the dugout next season. Want to be the first to hear breaking Man United news? For carefully selected, crucial updates, join our WhatsApp channel: https://bit.ly/United-Breaking-News.

Kaizer Chiefs fans are wondering who is set to take over from Cavin Johnson. Could it be Sundowns man Mngqithi? Here’s the latest. Mngqithi is one of the men whose name has been linked with the Amakhosi hottest in recent months. Furthermore, his contract is set to expire at the end of the current 2023/24 DStv Premiership. Meaning, he will be available at the same time that Chiefs aim to appoint a new coach on a permanent basis. MNGQITHI TO CHIEFS LOOKING INCREASINGLY UNLIKELY Mngqithi is not Amakhosi management’s first choice. In fact, he currently sits behind the likes of both Raul Caneda and Pitso Mosimane when it comes to the front-runners for the job. “No, I don’t think at this time there is chance for Mngqithi. They know it will be difficult to get him if Sundowns are renewing his contract. But they also don’t want to feel like they are trying to destabilise Sundowns and that’s why they are looking at Spanish coach who was on the shortlist (Raul canned),” the insider reported on SoccerLaduma. MOSIMANE STILL BEING CONSIDERED Mosimane to Chiefs is the Amakhosi dream that is still alive, according to recent reports on The South African. However, Canada is currently the front-runner having emerged as their new priority target. Additionally, Adel Amrouche’s name has once again come up as a potential replacement.

“There are deep problems at Kaizer Chiefs. Deep problems,” said Khanye. Former Kaizer Chiefs winger Junior Khanye says there are deep problems at his former club that even Pitso Mosimane or any other coach will fix immediately. ALSO READ: Pitso Mosimane and wife reportedly sued for over R5-million Khanye’s comment comes after Chiefs suffered a 1-0 loss to 15th-placed Richards Bay FC last weekend. It was Amakhosi’s 10th loss of the season that left them in position 10 with only six games to go before the end of the DStv Premiership season. Following the loss, many Chiefs fans once again put the blame on coach Cavin Johnson and some even called for his axing. Khanye, however, does not believe that Johnson is the only problem at Chiefs. “There are deep problems at Kaizer Chiefs. Deep problems,” said Khanye during an interview on iDiski TV. “They might think Cavin Johnson is the problem but he is not. Yes, I don’t agree with some of Cavin’s tactical decisions but he is not the only problem at Chiefs. These players are average. Watch the interview Khanye added that Mosimane or whoever is appointed as the Chiefs coach will need to get rid of at least 13 average players and sign new ones. “You can get Pitso Mosimane to coach these players and he would need to get rid of at least 13 players here. The problems at this club are deep.” Khanye also slammed the Chiefs scouting department and the club management, saying those departments also need to be changed. “The best clubs in the world have good scouting. Getting players who suit the style and culture of the club. Kaizer Chiefs don’t have a good scouting department. That’s why they sign low-class players like Christian Saile who has played in lower leagues in Zambia. They don’t do proper assessments. ALSO READ: Springbok star picks Kaizer Chiefs as his number one PSL team “Chiefs can change the coach but they still need to change a lot of things there – their development structure, their scouting department, the management! There is a lot of work that needs to be done at Chiefs. “It’s not about losing to Richards Bay, it’s about the last 10 years. This club has completely lost its way,” concluded Khanye.

1 Erik ten Hag will face a 25% pay cut at Manchester United next season if he remains as manager should the club fail to qualify for Champions League football. The Dutch manager, along with the vast majority of his senior squad, operate on an incentivised contract predicated upon the team’s performance. If, as expected, United do not finish 4th in the Premier League, these players will be subject to the same wage slash next year as their manager. ESPN report Ten Hag’s current salary with United is in the region of £9 million-a-year, meaning this would drop to £6.75 million for the 2024/25 season should he remain at the helm at Old Trafford. It is far from certain the Dutchman will survive beyond this summer, however. INEOS – who gained full control over the football operation at United following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ratification as co-owner in February – are yet to make a decision on Ten Hag’s future, whose contract expires in the summer of 2025. They have, instead, decided to focus on installing a ‘best-in-class’ executive structure at Old Trafford, beginning with Omar Berrada as the club’s new chief executive. He has been joined by Southampton’s director of football, Jason Wilcox, as a new technical director, while Dan Ashworth is expected to be the new sporting director, if a compensatory agreement can be reached with Newcastle. Ratcliffe is believed to be waiting until this team is assembled before deferring the managerial decision onto them. With a move for Ashworth still yet to be agreed, and Berrada remaining on gardening leave, the responsibility of establishing United’s summer plan will be largely driven by Wilcox. The technical director is reported to have been instructed by Ratcliffe to “conduct a thorough audit” of Ten Hag’s job at Old Trafford thus far. The results of this examination are likely to dictate the decision over the Dutchman at the end of the season. Wilcox will also play a key role in establishing the type of philosophy United employ on the pitch. This will then help dictate the club’s plans in the transfer market, as players will have to fit into an overarching system, rather than simply being signed at the manager’s behest. A report relayed by The Peoples Person revealed Wilcox has already met with Ten Hag following the FA Cup semi-final victory over Coventry City, with further meetings planned for the remainder of the season. Ten Hag has enjoyed a huge amount of control in his first two years in Manchester. He has been a shot caller on most decisions relating to the football side of the club, from the transfer market right down to the preparations for pre-season tours. INEOS, however, appear keen to move away from this model, instead preferring a more modern ‘head coach’ style manager who solely focuses on the senior squad, while the executive branch leads the sporting operation. This shift is likely to cause some issues for Ten Hag as it was not necessarily the role he agreed to when signing for United in 2022. At this stage, the report by ESPN suggests United are “preparing for next season with Ten Hag as manager.” This will be standard operating procedure, however, and not particularly indicative of the club’s commitment to the Dutchman beyond this year. There have been murmurings Ten Hag may choose to jump before he is pushed, owing to unhappiness with a lack of support from the club’s new owners, as well as this change in the scope of his control. Perhaps the added blow of losing out on over £2 million in wages may prove the straw which broke the Dutchman’s back come the end of the season. Want to be the first to hear breaking Man United news? For carefully selected, crucial updates, join our WhatsApp channel: https://bit.ly/United-Breaking-News.

Pitso Mosimane, Manqoba Mngqithi and Raul Canada names have all come up. Now, we know the front-runner and favourite for the Kaizer Chiefs hot seat. Mosimane is the dream pick for Amakhosi fans. Moreover, Mngqithi and Caneda are both very strong candidates. So, who is the front-runner and favourite to replace Cavin Johnson as head coach of Chiefs at the end of the season? CANEDA BECOMES CHIEFS PRIORITY Caneda is currently Amakhosi managements priority target. Meaning, he is the man they will try and sign before attempting to lure Mosimane or Mngqithi to Naturena. “They believe that looking at his history he could be the one to change the team’s fortunes from next season. So for now we say he is the top priority ahead of coach Pitso (Mosimane),” the report read on SoccerLaduma. MOSIMANE AND MNGQITHI WILL BE AVAILABLE Both Mosimane and Mngqithi are set to be available at the end of the season. Moreover, both men have entertained the possibility of joining the Soweto Giants. A few months ago, Mngqithi stated that Chiefs would be the ideal PSL club for him to coach next season. Additionally, Mosimane said made it clear that he is willing to join any club who has a clear project and vision. His short-term deal with Al Abha is set to expire around the same time Amakhosi management will be appointing a permanent coach. Therefore, if the Caneda deal falls through, Mosimane to Chiefs will be on the cards. It is up to the club to finally make him an offer. There are other candidates but in recent times the Amakhosi hierarchy has favored local-based coaches. Although, this could change given the recent run of results from local coaches to date. Furthermore, Adel Amrouche name has come up again. He joins fellow European targets Caneda and Rui Vitoria.

Kaizer Chiefs have reportedly decided against making Jasond Gonzalez’s stay permanent following what has been a disappointing stint for him. And this is according to iDiski Times, who reports that Chiefs rejected an opportunity to offer Gonzalez a new deal when his current one expires in June. Gonzalez arrived on loan from Bolivian outfit Real Santa Cruz in August 2023 to try and ease Amakhosi’s goalscoring woes. And the Glamour Boys had an option to buy Gonzalez for a fee in the region of R3.4 million – but they are not going to do it. The reason is pretty simply, and that’s because the lanky and burly striker hasn’t really lived up to the expectations since joining Chiefs. Gonzalez is yet to score in any of the 12 games he’s featured in for the club whereas the team is struggling for goals. The 24-year-old marksman joined Chiefs after scoring eight goals in 15 Primera División matches in the second half of the 2022-23 season, as per TimesLIVE. KAIZER CHIEFS SHOW FIRST PLAYER THE EXIT DOOR “Kaizer Chiefs have opted against taking the option in Jasond Gonzalez contract to make his loan move permanent,” reads part of the report. “This publication has learnt, that the physical striker will return to Bolivian club Real Santa Cruz at the end of the 2023/24 DStv Premiership season. “His loan deal, which had an option to make the deal permanent for $180,000 (R3.3 million) will not be pursued further after failing to score in his 12 games for Amakhosi.” WHO SHOULD AMAKHOSI TURN TO? With Gonzalez certainly leaving, and their current frontline misfiring, Chiefs certainly need to shop for quality strikers. Amakhosi were most recently linked with a possible move for Stellenbosch FC and Bafana Bafana striker Iqraam Rayners. Cape Town City’s Khanyisa Mayo was also reported to be on the radar of Chiefs but that never happened when the noise was still loud. As things stand, Chiefs have Ranga Chivaviro, Ashley du Preez, Wandile Duba, Christian Saile and Saile as their strikers. However, it’s attacking midfielder Pule Mmodi who’s contributed more goals in the team this season with four under his belt. And it is evident that Chiefs are having serious goalscoring problems hence they have managed to score just 19 goals in 24 league games. It remains to be seen if the Chiefs hierarchy will be willing to break banks to sign quality strikers when they new technical team is assembled next season.

‘Lazy people express themselves by tearing down other people’s work,’ said the TS Galaxy head coach. TS Galaxy head coach Sead Ramovic has called former Orlando Pirates midfielder Xola Mlambo ‘lazy’ in an escalation of the war of words between the Rockets mentor and his former player. Mlambo joined Galaxy in July 2022 on a two-season deal, but by February 2023 his contract had been terminated. The 32 year-old Mlambo indicated in an interview with Metro FM in March that had been targeted by Ramovic. In this week’s edition of iDiski Times, however, Ramovic had his say. “The person who said something about us said more about himself and his character than about us and about me,” said Ramovic. “Anyway, I can’t relate to lazy people. We don’t speak the same language … Lazy people express themselves by tearing down other people’s work. ‘He should mature’ “He (Mlambo) is a very nice human being but he should mature … he should realise that everything that happens in this soccer life is because of decisions that were made because of his laziness.” Mlambo told Metro FM that the problem seemed to start with an innocent game of football tennis. “When the season ended, they then contacted me to say – you are no longer part of the plan, apparently your relationship with the coach has been broken,” he said. “The last training session I had with TS Galaxy was at a football tennis fun day, we were playing football tennis and the coach was cheating us.  “After the training session we prayed, Tim Sukazi was there on the day. Nothing was said, or (I was not) called in for a hearing if maybe I disobeyed the coach for cheating us when we were playing tennis,” “’What really got to me, it’s the remarks to the technical team when we were playing, he (Ramovic) would say I will fire you and all that. I have seen it happen when someone does not agree with the coach and  they find themselves without employment.” Mlambo is currently without a club after leaving Galaxy, with claims he did not have his clearance from the Rockets dismissed in December by Galaxy chairman Tim Sukazi

1 Manchester United welcome Sheffield United to Old Trafford on Wednesday in a game they will be expected to win and get back to winning ways in the Premier League. Erik ten Hag is under huge pressure to save his position at the club after four league games without victory which has meant the club has no hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League. Despite reaching the FA Cup final at the weekend, another alarming meltdown to allow Coventry to score thrice and force the game into a penalty shootout has done little to brighten the mood in Manchester. However, Wednesday’s game should give United a chance to flex their muscles with the visitors a certainty for relegation, sitting bottom of the league and on course to concede over 100 goals. Chris Wilder’s men have shipped 88 goals so far with six games remaining and United, however depleted, should have enough for a comfortable night under the lights at the Theatre of Dreams. Ten Hag is sweating on the fitness of some key players once more but Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garancho and Antony are likely to start up front and have enough quality to put the game to bed. There should be little need for overly creative tactics in front of home support, getting the ball to the front three in dangerous areas should produce chances aplenty. Hojlund will be desperate to get back on the scoresheet after another barren run since returning from injury and his desire will be key to United winning the game. The young Dane has suffered an up-and-down first season in Manchester but with Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes likely to start behind him, the quality to pick Sheffield’s lock is there. Fernandes and Eriksen both possess outstanding quality on the ball and with the basement side likely to sit deep, the duo will be tasked with getting the ball into dangerous areas for Hojlund. Hojlund is dangerous in the air, a skill that has been criminally underused this season and clipped balls into his space will allow him to use his physical presence and grab a goal or two. Equally, United’s most consistent attacker this season, Garnacho, is always eager to impress and will provide a threat on the left hand side with his pace and direct running. The patched up back four will be expected to cope a lot better than they did at Wembley as United inexplicably nearly threw away a cup final ticket, with tonight’s opponents arguably less armed than Coventry were on Sunday. Should United concentrate and apply themselves properly, they should be in for a comfortable enough evening but, as seen multiple times this campaign, that seems to be alot easier said than done for this group of players. Want to be the first to hear breaking Man United news? For carefully selected, crucial updates, join our WhatsApp channel: https://bit.ly/United-Breaking-News.

Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the Premier League with Tuesday’s 5-0 demolition of Chelsea at the Emirates. Mikel Arteta’s men sit three points ahead of Liverpool and four points ahead of Manchester City, who have one and two games in hand on the north Londoners respectively. Here, the PA news agency looks at the top-flight run-in and what promises to be a dramatic finale.   1. Arsenal • Played 34 • Points 77 • Goal difference 56 Fixtures: Tottenham (A), Bournemouth (H), Man United (A), Everton (H) Arsenal have rediscovered their winning touch. The Gunners have picked up successive wins against Wolves and Chelsea, bouncing back from their Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich and their 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa earlier this month. Their recent success has put the pressure on Manchester City to win their two games in hand and Arteta’s men face their biggest test this Sunday when they travel to rivals Tottenham. The Gunners’ dominance has seen them accumulate an enviable goal difference of 56, which could make all the difference come the final day.   2. Liverpool • Played 33 • Points 74 • Goal difference 43 Fixtures: Everton (A), West Ham (A), Tottenham (H), Aston Villa (A), Wolves (H) Reds boss Klopp is reliant on favours from elsewhere to enjoy a fairytale end to his nine-year Anfield reign following their shock home defeat by Crystal Palace. Since then, Liverpool toppled Fulham at Craven Cottage with a 3-1 victory just days after they were dumped out of the Europa League by Atalanta. Liverpool led the division for more than three months across two spells between Boxing Day and early April before losing momentum. The 19-time English champions, who next play Everton in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, will need to beat Sean Dyche’s side if they are to keep their hopes alive of giving their manager the perfect send-off.   3. Man City • Played 32 • Points 73 • Goal difference 44 Run-in: Brighton (A), Nottingham Forest (A), Wolves (H), Fulham (A), Tottenham (A), West Ham (H) In-form City are seeking to become champions for the fourth year in a row and are unbeaten since December, dropping just eight points from a possible 51 during that time. Star striker Erling Haaland, who has been ruled out of their next match against Brighton due to injury, may not have hit the heights of his debut season but is still the division’s leading scorer, while Kevin De Bruyne’s return to fitness following an injury-hit spell has provided a timely boost.

Kaizer Chiefs have turned down the chance to sign Jasond Gonzalez at a knockdown price but that can’t come as a massive surprise. Jasond has been a disaster at Kaizer Chiefs 24-year-old Colombian Efmamjjasond Gonzalez, aka Jasond, has yet to break his goal-scoring duck for Amakhosi in 12 appearances. This season he’s made nine outings in the DStv Premiership. According to iDiski Times, Chiefs have decided against making his loan move a permanent deal. Striker Jasond Gonzalez. Photo: Via Kaizer Chiefs website. AMAKHOSI WON’T TRIGGER SIGNING OPTION “Kaizer Chiefs have opted against taking the option in Jasond Gonzalez contract to make his loan move permanent. This publication has learnt, that the physical striker will return to Bolivian club Real Santa Cruz at the end of the 2023/24 DStv Premiership season. His loan deal, which had an option to make the deal permanent for $180,000 (R3.3 million) will not be pursued further after failing to score in his 12 games for Amakhosi.” wrote the publication. Scoring woes aren’t unique to Gonzalez Shockingly, Chiefs have only scored 19 goals from 24 league games this term and have a goal difference of zero. Last term they managed 32 goals in 30 games at an average of 1.07 goals per game. Their average stands at 0.79 goals per game in 2023/24. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to notice the problem plaguing them and how it’s worsened. It’s been NINE HALVES, or 405 minutes of football since Chiefs last hit the back of the net. The last Amakhosi player to score for the club? Ashley Du Preez against Pirates on 9 March. Is Mokwana the answer? According to a report from iDiski Times, it would take R35 million to prize Elias Mokwana, Babina Noko’s jewel in the crown, away from Sekhukhune. Let’s be realistic, that number will drop sharply once Sekhukhune receives some formal offers for the Bafana Bafana man. He’s got four goals and four assists in 20 league appearances this term, a stellar output for a wideman. It’s been reported that Mokwana is the object of foreign interest, so Chiefs and perhaps Soweto rivals Pirates will need to act fast to get their man. Elias Mokwana celebrates a goal against Andorra. Image: @bafanabafana/X. Which striker do you think should come in to replace the departing Jasond Gonzalez? CLICK TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY FOOTBALL FANATIC JAMES FREEMANTLE. Also, follow The South African on X for up-to-the-minute news updates.

Kaizer Chiefs have been given a glimmer of hope in their pursuit for a quality coach of Pitso Mosimane’s calibre. Mosimane continues to be linked with a possible return to South Africa with Chiefs pushed to acquire his services before it’s too late. The Kagiso-born mentor is currently in Saudi Arabia where he’s tasked with saving the status of Abha FC in their Pro League. Mosimane signed a short-term contract with Abha as the mandate had always been to ensure that the club doesn’t get relegated at the end of the season. Now, a section of Amakhosi fans are hoping for Chiefs to snatch him soon after the expiry of his contract with Abha FC. But for others, this looks far fetched as Mosimane may not come cheap in terms of his high salary and the fact that he has his own technical team. However, Mosimane’a agent and wife Moira Tlhagale said it’s possible for the former Sundowns coach to return to the PSL. Tlhagale said Mosimane’s possible return doesn’t hinge on reported high salary demands but also on the condition that he comes with his own technical team. WILL KAIZER CHIEFS JUMP AT OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN MOSIMANE? “I think it’s just agreeing on terms,” Tlhagale told KickOff. “I believe people think it’s impossible because they assume it is only about (salary) numbers, and there are a lot of numbers that are being thrown out there, but we’ll let them throw numbers. “If the terms and conditions are acceptable, he will come back… One of the conditions is that the coaches comes with his technical team. You can’t just come along and say, ‘no, don’t come with your team’.” AMAKHOSI READY TO COMPROMISE Now, with Mosimane not compromising on working with his own technical team, the question is whether or not Chiefs are ready for that. Well, as Soccer Laduma previously reported, the Chiefs hierarchy has had a change of heart on the procedure of appointing new coaches. Previously, Chiefs would hire a coach and afford him an opportunity to bring with him his own assistant but also have a second assistant preferably a club legend who understands the club’s culture. However, they are now reported to be willing to allow whoever they appoint next season to come with his own back room staff. Chiefs missed out on Nasreddine Nabi at the start of the season after not agreeing to let him assemble his own technical team as per HollywoodBets Sports Blog.

1 Manchester United managed to scrape past Coventry City in the FA Cup semi-finals last weekend to make it back-to-back FA Cup finals under the stewardship of Erik ten Hag. However, relinquishing a three-goal lead against a team from the Championship and eventually requiring penalties to make the summit clash was frowned upon by many, much to the disgust of the Dutchman. But whatever the manager says will not change the fact that the current campaign has been a major disappointment with the Red Devils crashing out of Europe at the first time of asking while being on course to record their worst-ever finish in the history of the Premier League. The only silver lining this season has been the emergence of academy graduates Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo with both looking like superstars-in-the-making. The Academy has come up with all the answers The Argentine has notched nine goals and four assists this season, and is the third-highest goalscorer in the squad at the age of 19. As for the Englishman, he has netted thrice, all three of them being memorable strikes while playing with a level of maturity in midfield not seen from someone so young. He is on course to play for the Three Lions in the upcoming European Championships. Harry Amass and Shea Lacey with the U18 Premier League Cup last night. Our next two breakthrough youngsters pic.twitter.com/I3s6FlUYTr — UF (@UtdFaithfuls) April 24, 2024 The famed United academy has come up with answers for the manager when many established names have failed with Willy Kambwala stepping up in defence due to the injury crisis prevalent at the club while the likes of Omari Forson, and Dan Gore both made their first-team debuts this term. More could be on the way if The Sun are to be believed. Shea Lacey, considered among the brightest talents to emerge from Carrington, could be about to earn a first team debut before the season concludes. Dubbed as “United’s very own Lionel Messi“, the versatile winger recently signed his first professional contract with the club and more surprises are on its way. The United matchday bench has been made up of academy youngsters like Harry Amass, Habeeb Ogunneye and debut number 250 is on the horizon. Lacey’s first-team debut on the cards “Top kid Shea Lacey is set to get a game at Manchester United by the end of the season. Winger Lacey has been training with the first team after an injury caused by a growth spurt and is pencilled in for a debut in the run-in,” the report stated. The 17-year-old has made 10 appearances this season for the U18s and U19s combined, scoring twice and providing four assists as the United U18s have run rampant, clinching a league and cup double. He is yet to make a matchday squad but has been training consistently with the first team. Games against bottom dwellers Sheffield United and Burnley are up next and ideally, those would have presented the best chances of a debut. But following their capitulation against Coventry City on Sunday, United can ill-afford to take anything for granted and need to win all three points while also performing to an acceptable level. Want to be the first to hear breaking Man United news? For carefully selected, crucial updates, join our WhatsApp channel: https://bit.ly/United-Breaking-News.

With Liverpool looking to appoint Feyenoord boss Arne Slot as the new Liverpool manager, plenty of fans have been asking how you pronounce the Dutchman’s name? Slot is from eastern Holland and has spent his whole career in the Netherlands so far. With Liverpool approaching the 45-year-old to take over, many are wanting to pronounce his name properly. In his native Dutch, Arne Slot is pronounced ‘Arn-uh Slot’. Think about how you would say ex-Liverpool an Norway international John Arne Riise’s name. Arne is pronounced in the same way. Though Slot is generally just said in the same way in English and Dutch, there are regional variations that you might hear that vary the sound.   Slot’s career PA Media outlined how he has reached the top of Dutch football… Former midfielder Slot, 45, spent his playing career in the Netherlands with Zwolle, Sparta Rotterdam and Breda. After moving into coaching roles at Cambuur and then AZ Alkmaar, Slot stepped up into the manager’s job with the latter for the 2019–20 season, which was interrupted by the Covid pandemic. AZ finished second behind Ajax on goal difference in the shortened campaign. Slot left for Feyenoord in December 2020, succeeding Dick Advocaat, and brought former Arsenal and Manchester United forward Robin van Persie onto his staff. In May 2022, Feyenoord reached the first Europa Conference League final, losing to Roma, and finished third in the Eredivisie. Slot’s second season at De Kuip saw Feyenoord win the Eredivisie title – the first for the club since 2017. Earlier this month, Feyenoord beat NEC Nijmegen to lift the 2024 KNVB Cup.   Slot in Europe No matter who eventually takes over as Liverpool’s new manager, they will be expected to be able to deliver more memorable European nights at Anfield. Slot would bring plenty of that experience with him. While at AZ, Slot took his side into the Europa League – where they played Manchester United in 2019. After moving to Feyenoord, Slot guided the club to the Europa Conference League final in May 2022. Eredivisie success brought with it a crack at the Champions League for 2023–24. Despite beating Celtic and Lazio in their group, the Dutch side did not qualify for the knockout stage and then lost out to Roma in the Europa League play-off round.

1 Manchester United’s right wing issues are well-known with high-profile names letting manager Erik ten Hag down earlier on in the season. Jadon Sancho and his camp launched a tirade of accusations against the Dutchman which forced the manager to banish him from the squad and subsequently loaning him out to former club Borussia Dortmund in January. Antony, who was the former Ajax coach’s big-money buy in his first season, has been a no-show throughout the campaign with off-field controversies partly to blame for a lack of form. Marcus Rashford has never been comfortable playing on the right flank while Facundo Pellistri proved he was too raw to start games. Ten Hag was forced to shunt Alejandro Garnacho to the opposite flank and he has made the position his own as of now. RW problems But with the Mancunian’s form and motivation coming into question almost every week, the Argentine might be required to get back to his favoured position. And a right wing solution could be required if both Sancho and Antony end up leaving as per rumours. And new co-owners INEOS already have greenlit a deal for a replacement, in the form of Michael Olise of Crystal Palace. The Frenchman has scored seven goals while providing four assists in 10 starts in the Premier League this campaign, while he managed two goals and 11 assists last season, including a last-minute stunner against the Red Devils. The Peoples Person had relayed that a deal for the Eagles star would not be as straightforward as INEOS would have hoped for due to the club’s lack of Champions League football next season. The France U21 international is reportedly looking at moving to a Champions League club and Football Insider have claimed Arsenal could jump for the 22-year-old. “Arsenal and Man United have joined the race to sign Crystal Palace star Michael Olise ahead of the summer transfer window, sources have told Football Insider. Arsenal, Chelsea are ready to jump “The Gunners are ready to raid their London rivals for the 22-year-old in the off-season as they plan attacking reinforcements.” Last season, Chelsea came very close to a deal only for the move to fall through at the last moment with the winger agreeing a new deal with the team from Selhurst Park. However, the Blues have remained in contact with the Eagles and are expected to try their best at agreeing a new deal as per Teamtalk. Chelsea, under Todd Boehly, have not been afraid to splash the cash and United should be wary of being dragged into a bidding war. “Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise is one of the most in-demand and coveted creative players in the Premier League right now and there is serious interest from the world’s greatest sides. “Chelsea are among them and TEAMtalk can exclusively reveal they have remained in contact over a deal via co-director of recruitment Joe Shields. “The London side face a major challenge to convince him to return to Stamford Bridge as there is big competition from Manchester United, who are considered the favourites as things stand by TEAMtalk sources.” Is Olise the perfect fit? One thing is for certain, Olise will cost way more than his previous release clause of £35 million. But the player’s injury record is not too great. The former Reading star has already missed 20 games due to a recurrent hamstring injury this season while last term, he was out for 13 games. United have a penchant for buying injury-riddled players as seen from their past dealings with Anthony Martial and Phil Jones and more recently, Raphael Varane. Whether INEOS will sanction a big-money move for Olise remains to be seen. When on form, the Frenchman can certainly provide the creative spark needed but the Red Devils can ill-afford to make further mistakes moving forward. Want to be the first to hear breaking Man United news? For carefully selected, crucial updates, join our WhatsApp channel: https://bit.ly/United-Breaking-News.

Mamelodi Sundowns can be crowned DStv Premiership champions for the seventh time in a row by Thursday, 2 May next week. On that particular day, the Brazilians visit Amakhosi for their 24th league game of the season at FNB Stadium, as reported by The South African. The encounter was initially scheduled for Tuesday, 30 April but it had to be moved to 2 May at the request of the Premier Soccer League (PSL). What happened is that the league rescheduled the two fixtures that Sundowns needed to play against TS Galaxy. And the first of the two fixtures has now been scheduled for Monday, 29 April, meaning there was no way they could face Chiefs a day later. WHEN CAN SUNDOWNS WIN THE PSL TITLE? Now, Sundowns can win the league title on 2 May provided they win their next two league games against both TS Galaxy and Chiefs next week. Rulani Mokwena’s charges need just six points from their remaining eight games to seal the league title. They are currently on 56 points from 22 games played while second-placed Stellenbosch FC are on 43 points after 24 league games. Now, should Sundowns win their next two games, they will move to 62 points, and no any other team can get to that tally this season. Stellies can only finish the campaign on 61 points provided they win their remaining six league games. While Mokwena has complained about fatigue given their congested fixture schedule, wrapping up the league title before the 30th game appears to be an easy task to achieve. MOKWENA REMAINS UNBEATEN IN THE LEAGUE AS BRAZILIANS COACH In what is the most interest fact, Mokwena remains unbeaten in the league since taking over as Sundowns head coach. He was appointed in October 2022, and Sundowns had last lost a league to SuperSport United on 22 September 2022. As reported by OptaJabu, today, 24 April, marks exactly 600 days since the Tshwane giants last tasted defeat. During that period, Sundowns played 46 league games – and they are unbeaten in those matches – they won 35 and drew just 11 with Mokwena in charge. This season alone, Sundowns have played 22 league games without losing – they have won 17 and drawn just five. They also enjoy a healthy goal difference (+31) compared to the rest of the 15 DStv Premiership teams having only conceded just eight goals while scoring 39 in the process.

With Arne Slot is now Liverpool’s favourite choice to replace Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager, we looked at the four key criteria used by the Reds to find the next boss. Arne Slot has become the latest figure to be linked to the Liverpool job, with the Athletic reporting Liverpool have already had their first offer for the Feyenoord manager rejected. He, along with the others touted for the role, all have certain skills in common. Pieter Zwart, who is editor-in-chief at Dutch football magazine Voetbal International, wrote about Liverpool looking for four characteristics in particular, and we looked at how Slot fits in to those.   Working on a budget As Liverpool continue to compete against oil-rich clubs like Man City and Newcastle, being able to elevate a team through good coaching is a vital skill the new manager must have. During his time at Feyenoord, he has actually had a positive net spend with the club often utilising loans, meaning Slot has to work with a large turnover of players. Against PSV and Ajax who have bigger budgets, he won last season’s Eredivisie title and recently won this year’s Dutch Cup. As AZ Alkmaar manager, on an even smaller budget, he had a potential league title taken away when the 2019/20 season was curtailed due to coronavirus while his team were joint-top with Ajax.   Playing style Slot tends to play a 4-2-3-1 but doesn’t stick to the formation religiously. His style was described to the i as “high-energy attacking football in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 with two deep-lying midfielders and a reliance on wingers to create chances.” As per the Coaches Voice, Slot doesn’t “overcommit to the high press,” with his teams “comfortable dropping into a more reserved block” if the opportunity to win the ball back is not there. This varies slightly from Klopp who rarely sees his team sit deep to soak up pressure. In 2022, Slot told UEFA: “When we don’t have the ball, we want to win it back as quickly as possible by being aggressive and pressing to win back possession. I think we are a team that is difficult to beat.” Sounds familiar! Using the current squad Something that may have edged Liverpool in the direction of Slot over Ruben Amorim, is the fact that the Portuguese manager would potentially have to act more in the transfer market to ensure the squad suits his three-at-the-back system. While Xabi Alonso and Amorim have similar attacking principles to Klopp, Slot sticking with a definite four in defence allows for a smoother transition. Like Klopp, Slot also likes to use an inverted right-back and a wider left back, which would suit Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold well.   Character and personality Liverpool managers need to be good communicators and have a strong relationship with supporters. Also, modern football often requires managers to be sympathetic towards their players, a trait Slot shares with Klopp. “He can be angry with his players, of course,” Dennis van Eersel, of Dutch national TV channel RTV, explained. “But he also puts his arm around them. They like him because he’s built a harmony at the club.” The Dutchman already has a good grasp of English, something that seemingly ruled Internazionale boss Simone Inzaghi out of the running earlyon.

1 Erik ten Hag will be lucky to field a full squad of senior players for tonight’s game against Sheffield United as Manchester United’s injury crisis reaches unbelievable proportions. Before the last outing against Coventry City in the FA Cup semi-final, three new players were added to the already busy treatment table when Mason Mount, Sofyan Amrabat and Willy Kambwala were ruled out. During that match, even more injuries were sustained to Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Scott McTominay and Bruno Fernandes. Pre-existing injuries had already ruled out Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia and Anthony Martial. Meanwhile, Harry Maguire has been playing with an injury, according to teammate Casemiro. Of all of these, it seems that Maguire, Garnacho and Fernandes are the most likely to make the starting line-up tonight. Premierinjuries.com rate McTominay, Rashford, Kambwala and Amrabat as having a 25% chance of playing. In making our predicted XI, we have ruled them out although the fact that some potential replacements who have featured on the bench in recent games – Harry Amass, Ethan Wheatley and Louis Jackson – played for the Under 18’s in the Premier League Cup last night would suggest they will not be called upon. So perhaps Ten Hag is confident that one or two of those “very doubtfuls” will make it to the bench at least. Fortunately Andre Onana is fit and will play in goal. The back four is expected to be unchanged from the one that let in three late goals against Coventry, with Diogo Dalot at right back, Casemiro and Harry Maguire the centre backs and Aaron Wan-Bissaka at left back. With McTominay and Amrabat probably out, Christian Eriksen looks the obvious choice to partner Kobbie Mainoo in central midfield. Garnacho and Fernandes will probably be joined by Antony in the attacking midfield, with Rasmus Hojlund up top. Amad is another option after another good cameo against Coventry. Ten Hag spoke glowingly of him in the pre-match presser. He also said “Tomorrow we will be creative and put a team out which is able to win the game… even if we have to be really creative and put players in other positions,” which suggests there may be more players moving to an unfamiliar role. For example, Fernandes (if fit) could play deeper and Amad could come into the attack to replace him. With all that in mind, here is our predicted XI for tonight’s 8pm kick-off at Old Trafford: Want to be the first to hear breaking Man United news? For carefully selected, crucial updates, join our WhatsApp channel: https://bit.ly/United-Breaking-News.

Springbok World Cup winner Eben Etzebeth has said that he would choose beleaguered Kaizer Chiefs as his team to support in the DStv Premiership. In an interview with Radio 2000, Etzebeth admitted that he also didn’t watch much local football, which may explain some of his reasoning for selecting Cavin Johnson’s side, who are languishing in tenth place in the table, and are heading for a ninth consecutive season without any Premier Soccer League silverware. “I grew up close to Ajax Cape Town (now Cape Town Spurs), they are probably my most local team,” Etzebeth said in an interview with Thabiso Mosia on Game On. “I don ‘t watch a lot of PSL but probably if I had to pick one (team to support) I would go with Kaizer Chiefs.” Mad for the Gunners Etzebeth seems to be having more luck with his choice of English Premier League team. “I am and have been an Arsenal fan for many years,” he said of the side currently sitting top of the English Premier League. Etzebeth was speaking before Arsenal played Chelsea on Tuesday evening and was proved right in his confident prediction they would win in some style, as the Gunners thumped the Blues 5-0.

Pitso Mosimane last coached in South Africa when he was in charge of Mamelodi Sundowns, having been at the helm of Masandawana during a memorable stint between 2012 and 2020. This ultimately provided the platform for him to secure a high-profile gig with Egyptian giants Al Ahly, where he was hugely successful. In subsequent jobs, Mosimane was reported to earn around R3-million per month at Al Wahda and Al Ahli as his profile continued to soar, while he has since signed a contract with another Saudi side, the Abha Club. Yet it should be noted that this is only a short-term deal, and although there is of course a strong possibility that the veteran coach could stay on, there is no clarity around this just yet. So would he ever return to South Africa? It’s a particularly pertinent question as Chiefs continue their search for a permanent coach to take over from interim manager Cavin Johnson, having previously parted ways with Molefi Ntseki in October 2023.  The 59-year-old Mosimane has always said he would be willing to consider any project as long as he was aligned with the vision of the club, and that they were able to agree on the best way forward. Pitso Mosimane is one of South Africa’s most revered coaches Mosimane’s agent – and wife – Moira Tlhagale has now provided interesting insight into a possible return to South Africa for the veteran coach. “I think it’s just agreeing on terms,” she told KickOff. “I believe people think it’s impossible because they assume it is only about (salary) numbers, and there are a lot of numbers that are being thrown out there, but we’ll let them throw numbers. “If the terms and conditions are acceptable, he will come back… One of the conditions is that the coaches comes with his technical team. You can’t just come along and say ‘No, don’t come with your team’.” Chiefs would seemingly be aligned with this A world-class management team with expert insights is seen as a priority, and now it remains to be seen whether Chiefs can find what they’re looking for. “The wheels have been in motion for quite a while now. We’re also not just looking at it as if it’s a one-man coach; we’re looking at it in terms of what we need and we’ll be making all the changes we need to make that are going to take us in the direction we need to go in,” Kaizer Motaung Jnr commented, as quoted by IOL. “For us [Kaizer Chiefs] to achieve what we want to achieve is not just going to take one person (a head coach) or technical staff, it is going to take a lot of people, structures and elements that need to work, that haven’t been working for many years. “We are very much cognisant of what needs to be done and what we have not got right in the past. We are focused on the future and want to make sure we make the right decisions,” he added.

1 Manchester United legend Robin van Persie is close to agreeing a deal to become the new manager of Eredivisie side Heerenveen. The Dutchman left the Red Devils in 2015 after three years and playing an instrumental role in the club’s last Premier League title in 2013, where he scored 30 goals in all competitions. Van Persie returned to his former side, Feyenoord, as a player in 2019 and then, the following year, joined the coaching team to be an assistant to Dick Advocaat. The 40 year old has enjoyed success as co-head coach of the under 18 and under 19 teams in Rotterdam. However, he is poised to leave the club once more to take his first step into management. It was relayed here that the Dutchman was in talks with Heerenveen to be their new boss and it appears that such discussions have been fruitful. Dutch newspaper AD report that “Robin van Persie is close to his first coaching job in the Dutch Premier League”. “Heerenveen is approaching an agreement with the former striker and are hopeful of presenting Robin van Persie as the new head coach in the near future. The club management of the Frisians and the 40-year-old all-time top scorer of the Dutch team have now had several discussions with each other and both parties wish to reach an agreement soon”. “Feyenoord wanted to keep Van Persie and hoped that as a youth coach he would want to make the step from Feyenoord under 18 years to the under 21 team, but the former player of Feyenoord, Arsenal, Manchester United and Fenerbahçe did not accept Feyenoord’s offer”. The Eredivisie side are currently 10th in the table, where Van Persie will be hoping to help the team launch an assault on European spots in the coming seasons. Van Persie rejected the chance to become part of Erik ten Hag’s backroom staff when the Dutchman quit Ajax in the summer of 2022, as he wanted to continue cutting his teeth at Feyenoord’s youth system. The Dutchman was a fearsome striker, so there is probably no surprise in how he sets his teams up. Speaking on his tactical approach he claimed, “I want my team to be really attacking because then you have the best chance of winning. But every coach has to throw his own sauce over his team’s attacking football – and that is what I am doing”. It will be interesting to see how he can make the huge jump from youth football to the senior game. Want to be the first to hear breaking Man United news? For carefully selected, crucial updates, join our WhatsApp channel: https://bit.ly/United-Breaking-News.

Kaizer Chiefs are believed to have made a decision on the future of one of their strikers, for next season.  It is believed that Chiefs have already started working on and identifying player targets ahead of next season. This publication reported two months ago that Chiefs will be prioritising the signing of a striker next season. That might be a surprise as the club signed Ranga Chivaviro and Jasond Gonzalez at the beginning of the campaign. Unfortunately for the duo and the club management, however, they both haven’t had the desired effect as yet.  Chivaviro joined Chiefs from Marumo Gallants, amid much fanfare due to scoring 17 goals for the since relegated side. Amakhosi had fought hard to get the Limpopo-born striker to Naturena, with Pirates reaching a transfer agreement first with Gallants. But the player, pushed for a move to the Glamour Boys, as he is a lifelong supporter of the club.  There was even controversy surrounding Chivaviro’s ownership with Richards Bay FC claiming he had signed a pre-contract with them. In the end, those claims disappeared into thin air, with Chiefs getting their man. Since signing for the club though, the target man has barely threatened to reach last season’s heights. In the 19 games he has played for the club so far, he has only managed two goals.  Poor striker return Those, however, are two goals more than fellow new striker signing Gonzalez, who is yet to get off the mark. The Colombian came to the country with the reputation of being a goal machine, but has found the going tough. He has not managed to find the back of the net in the 12 games he has played for Chiefs.  Now according to iDiski Times Chiefs have decided to pass up on the opportunity to make Gonzalez’ move permanent.  Chiefs won’t trigger Gonzalez option “Kaizer Chiefs have opted against taking the option in Jasond Gonzalez contract to make his loan move permanent. This publication has learnt, that the physical striker will return to Bolivian club Real Santa Cruz at the end of the 2023/24 DStv Premiership season. His loan deal, which had an option to make the deal permanent for $180,000 (R3.4 million) will not be pursued further after failing to score in his 12 games for Amakhosi.” Wrote the publication. It comes as no surprise to many that Chiefs have opted not to sign Gonzalez

Ellis will be accompanied by members of her family and friends when she is awarded the honorary doctorate. SA women’s football team coach Desiree Ellis will be conferred with an honorary doctorate by the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)on Thursday. ALSO READ: Pitso Mosimane and wife reportedly sued for over R5-million According to a statement released by the South African Football Association Safa, Ellis will be honoured for her significant achievements as a professional sportsperson and head coach of Banyana Banyana. “Ellis will be recognised for her achievements as a professional sportsperson and as Banyana Banyana coach, including leading the South African senior women’s team to the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title after defeating Morocco 2-1 in the final in 2022 to win their first continental crown. “The team also made history at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup by becoming the first ever senior national team (men or women) to make it out of the group stages of the global tournament. They qualified for the Round of 16 after beating Italy 3-2 in their final group match,” read the Safa statement. “Ellis will be accompanied by members of her family and friends when she is awarded the Honorary Doctorate by the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Among her many accolades, she secured the Best Coach award in the women’s category to win a record fourth Caf award in the Moroccan city of Marrakech on 11 December 2023. “This came just months after she was honoured by President Cyril Ramaphosa with the Order of Ikhamanga in gold for her contribution to sport in 2023. ALSO READ: Khumalo proud of Amajimbos after draw with Colombia “Ellis was one of several recipients who were awarded top honours by President Ramaphosa at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Bryntirion, Pretoria, on 28 April 2023. The coach and her team have won numerous honours in the last few years in recognition of their contribution to sport,” concluded the statement from Safa.

‘It baffles me sometimes that players of his calibre have been playing the lower division for two or three seasons,’ said the Magesi FC head coach. Magesi FC coach Clinton Larsen is surprised by the fact that former South African youth international Deolin Mekoa is not playing top flight football. The versatile left-footed player has previously been on the books of Maritzburg United and Ajax Cape Town. The 30-year-old was also part of the South African under-23 national team that played at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Mekoa has resurrected his career at Motsepe Foundation Championship side Magesi who are chasing automatic promotion to the DStv Premiership. The Limpopo side have roped in a number of former PSL stars such as Elvis Chipezeze, Diamond Thopola, Edmore Chirambadare, Rhulani Manzini and Wonderboy Makhubu in their pursuit of premiership football next season. “In January, we brought in three senior players because we needed extra depth in the team so we needed a striker and Rhulani was available. Deolin Mekoa as well who I coached at Summerfield Dynamos in the ABC Motsepe league. He has also played for Maritzburg United and Ajax and the under-23 national team. The third player was Edmore Chirambandare and he’s an ex-Kaizer Chiefs player,” Larsen said to Thabiso Mosia on Radio 2000. “These three players have had a huge impact since joining in January and I’m very pleased with their performances. Deolin is such a versatile player and can play in any position. I’ve played him in 4 different positions and it baffles me sometimes that players of his calibre have been playing the lower division for two or three seasons. He’s proving once again what a quality player he is and we’re lucky as a club to have the likes Manzini, Mekoa and Chirambadare on our books.” ‘One game at a time’ Magesi are in pole position in the first division with five games left to play. They beat second-placed AmaTuks 1-0 last Saturday to stretch their lead to four points at the top of the standings. “For us it’s one game at a time but we’re not going to fool ourselves. We know exactly what we need because there are 15 points to play for and our target is 11 points from the 15,” Larsen added. “So if we get 11 points and get to 60, AmaTuks can only get to 59 and we will be champions. We need to work very hard and take it one game at a time. Our destiny is in our own hands and we don’t need favours from any club. We have worked hard to get to this position and have an advantage over our rivals and it’s up to us now to stay there.”

Liverpool have now opened talks with Feyenoord over a compensation deal for manager Arne Slot, who is leading candidate to replace Jurgen Klopp. Slot has emerged as favourite to take over as Liverpool head coach at the end of the season, following interest in Xabi Alonso, Ruben Amorim and Roberto De Zerbi. The story around the 45-year-old is moving fast, with it believed that Slot is open to the move and had scored highly in the club’s data-led research. Now, widespread sources, including the Times‘ Paul Joyce, report that talks have begun with Feyenoord to agree compensation over the Dutchman’s proposed switch. Sky Sports’ Melissa Reddy explains that “sources in Holland indicate the process could move quickly,” with Slot “keen” to join. It was previously reported that a fee of around £8.6 million would be enough to secure his services, which is unlikely to be a deterrent for Liverpool. The Athletic‘s David Ornstein adds that the club have “prioritised discretion” towards Feyenoord, with reports of their interest not emerging until after the KNVB Cup final on Sunday – which the Rotterdam club won 1-0. Ornstein claims that Liverpool will “continue to assess other candidates,” which could include Amorim and De Zerbi, but that appears highly unlikely at this stage. All signs point to Slot being successor to Jurgen Klopp, which shows the club’s faith in the former PEC Zwolle midfielder. Slot’s entire career, as a player and a coach, has been spent in the Netherlands, but there will be a belief that he is capable of stepping up to the Premier League.

Kaizer Chiefs are believed to be pressing ahead with plans to secure the services of a new coach next season. Arthur Zwane was in-charge at Chiefs last season, before being replaced by Molefi Ntseki ahead of the current campaign. To the majority of the Chiefs fan base, Ntseki was already an unpopular appointment, with no positive track record. Prior to taking over the first team reigns, he had never coached a senior professional side. He did, however, coach Bafana Bafana after Stuart Baxter, before being fired for failing to qualify for AFCON 2021. The duo reunited as part of a new structure at Amakhosi, which put him in charge of football development. Ntseki did not last long as Chiefs coach, however, being sacked before even the halfway mark of the season. This came after an unconvincing start to the campaign which also saw them knocked out of two cups. After being relieved of his duties, the club appointed Johnson to take over on an interim basis. Coincidently, Cavin Johnson also came into the club in a developmental role, before being asked to steady the senior ship.A run which saw Chiefs winning three of their last four games of 2024, saw Johnson in with a shout. But now according to the latest, the club are back looking at other candidates.  There have been the likes of Pitso Mosimane and Manqoba Mngqithi in a local sense. Internationally, Jose Peseiro, Vanderlei Luxembergo , Raul Caneda Perez and Nasreddine Nabi .  There have also been outsiders offering themselves to Chiefs, like former Orlando Pirates coach Roger de Sa. Additionally former Newcastle United star Nikodimos ‘Nikki’ Papavasiliou. Now according to Soccer-Laduma an ex-candidate has renewed his interest in the job. This in the form of Adel Amrouche.  Amrouche interested in Chiefs job again? “Kaizer Chiefs need a coach who knows how to communicate and someone with a strong personality. The club needs someone who should be of good use when it comes to helping the players psychologically. If one has to talk about the qualifications and experience, then Adel Amrouche should be one of the candidates. Some of the supporters are aware of his achievements in football and wouldn’t mind having a coach of Adel’s calibre in charge of their team. In his next role, the coach is keen on club football where he will be able to be active everyday as opposed to the national team. “He believes he can get Chiefs back to Champions League football and not just Lighting for the top eight. Amrouche knows about the importance of making the supporters happy. He is someone who is results-driven and he likes playing good football. If he can get the opportunity at Chiefs, he will do his level best to make the supporters and the club happy. For him, it’s all about the supporters first, as well as the club. The coach is currently in Qatar and will be going back to Tanzania soon to sort out some issues,” said the source to the same publication. Amakhosi also interested? Are Chiefs also interested in Amrouche? Only time will tell.

Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns will face each other on a new date following the postponement of the 30 April match. As exclusively reported by The South African, the two PSL giants will play this match on Thursday, 2 May at FNB Stadium. Kick-off is at 19:30. At the time of publishing the story, this website’s sport desk had not gathered the reason(s) for the postponement except that it was at the request of the PSL. Now, the reason has been made public, and it has everything to do with the fixture congestion in respect to Sundowns. Sundowns have played the fewest games of all the teams due to their CAF Champions League commitments. And the league is trying by all means to accommodate Sundowns and ensure that the season end timeously. WHY KAIZER CHIEFS VS SUNDOWNS WAS POSTPONED Now, it has come to our attention that this fixture was postponed simply because the PSL rescheduled the TS Galaxy vs Sundowns matches. It is worth noting that TS Galaxy and Sundowns are yet to play each other in the league this season – they only played in the Carling Knockout Cup. According to the league’s new fixture schedule, Sundowns will play TS Galaxy on Monday, 29 April at Loftus Versfeld Stadium hence the Chiefs game has been moved to 2 May. The reverse fixture between TS Galaxy and Sundowns has been rescheduled for 28 May at Mbombela Stadium. This is the same match which was supposed to be played on 6 March this year but it had to be postponed after the TS Galaxy team bus was involved in a fatal accident. SUNDOWNS UNBEATEN IN THE LEAGUE IN 600 DAYS Meanwhile, TODAY, 24 April, marks exactly 600 days since Mamelodi Sundowns last lost a league match, according to OptaJabu. The last time Sundowns lost a league match was on 22 September 2022 to SuperSport United during which they still had a co-coaching arrangement. However, they did away with that, and Rulani Mokwena took over in October 2022 as the club’s head coach. Since their last league loss, Sundowns have played 46 league games, and they have impressively won 35 and drawn 11. With that said, the Brazilians will definitely defend their DStv Premiership crown which will be their seventh in a row. They eased the pressure on them on Tuesday by beating Sekhukhune United 2-1 to move to 56 points after 22 points.

Kaizer Chiefs next manager decision pending as the 2023/24 football season reaches its climax. Chiefs find themselves at a critical juncture, grappling with pivotal decisions that will shape the trajectory of the club.  With only six matches remaining, the club’s supporters eagerly anticipate announcements regarding the future of their coaching staff. In the wake of a tumultuous season marked by disappointing results and a slide down the league standings.  The pressure is mounting for Kaizer Chiefs to chart a course towards renewal and revitalization. Amidst speculation and uncertainty, the emergence of potential candidates such as Adel Amrouche. Also the looming possibility of Pitso Mosimane’s return adds layers of intrigue to the unfolding narrative. Against this backdrop, negotiations and discussions are underway, as Kaizer Chiefs seek to navigate a path towards reclaiming their position as a powerhouse again.  The Search for a New Leader Kaizer Chiefs supporters eagerly await updates on the club’s plans for their technical team as only six matches remain in the season. The team’s recent struggles, coupled with a descent to 10th place on the log. These are the factors that have intensified the pressure for Chiefs to take decisive action. Adel Amrouche Emerges as a Strong Contender Since the league’s resumption following the Africa Cup of Nations break. Kaizer Chiefs has encountered significant challenges, managing to secure just one victory. The team’s decline in form has left fans disheartened and yearning for change. Amidst the uncertainty, Adel Amrouche’s name resurfaces as a potential candidate for the head coaching role at Kaizer Chiefs, according to Soccer Laduma. With an impressive resume that includes coaching the Tanzanian national team. Amrouche brings a wealth of experience that could inject much-needed stability and direction into the club. Pitso Mosimane’s potential return Adding to the intrigue is the potential return of Pitso Mosimane to the DStv Premiership. With his contract with Abha Club set to expire, Mosimane’s availability has attracted interest from clubs across the continent, including Kaizer Chiefs. Fans are hopeful that Mosimane’s return could signal a resurgence of the club’s former glory. As discussions unfold, Pitso Mosimane’s camp outlines their conditions for success, as per Kick Off. From the composition of his technical team to a say in player recruitment. Mosimane’s vision for revitalising Kaizer Chiefs comes with clear directives. The outcome of these negotiations will shape the trajectory of South African football for seasons to come. In the dynamic Premier Soccer league, every decision carries weight, and for Kaizer Chiefs, the selection of their next head coach holds the key to reclaiming their status as a dominant force in South African football. The South African however believe that a European candidate is still in pole position at the moment, but nothing is set in stone.

Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates were believed to be interested in Stanley Nwabali from Chippa United.  Chiefs seem to have pulled out of the race, however, leaving Pirates as the only PSL team interested in Nwabali.  Nwabali, who currently plies his trade for the Eastern Cape-based side, was a surprise inclusion as first choice for Nigeria at Afcon. This was due to the fact that he had only one cap for the Super Eagles prior to the showpiece. He would end up playing all seven games for Nigeria in Ivory Coast, keeping four clean sheets. He also played a huge role in the team finishing as runners-up at the tournament. That also saw his name and reputation skyrocket, with more European clubs reportedly on his radar, making things difficult for Chiefs. Beyond European interest, Chiefs arch-rivals Pirates were also believed to have entered the race. In fact, this publication had reported they were willing to swap Ghana’s number one Richard Ofori for Nwabali. That deal is also thought to involve a cash exchange. Whatever the Buccaneers end up doing in their pursuit, doesn’t seem like Amakhosi will be willing to match.  Now according to Soccer-Laduma, if Pirates are still interested, one of their competitors for Nwabali is from Belgium. That comes in the shape of topflight side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. Royale Union Saint-Gilloise enter Nwabali race “It’s obvious he (Nwabali)  won’t be at the club next season (Chippa). It will all depend on management and where they want him to go. You know there has been local interest but the only team that had come forward is Royale Union Saint Gilloise from Belgium. For now we can say they look like the favourites unless something happens along the way. It’s not a done deal but it looks promising compared to the other ones at the moment,” said a source to the publication.  Chiefs out, Pirates only local contenders? With Chiefs thought to be eyeing alternatives, Pirates could still try to negotiate with Chippa for Nwabali.