Coach Tembo Set For New SSU Deal?
Coach Tembo Set For New SSU Deal? Supersport United coach Kaitano Tembo is on course to being rewarded with a new deal after fulfilling one of his key performance indicator by claiming MTN8 glory at the second time of asking.
The Club’s CEO Stan Matthews gave Tembo an ultimatum that he either wins the knock out competition and or secure a top four finish in the league to be in contention for an extension when his current contract lapses at the end of the season.
“If he wins the trophy, he will be able to focus on his other mandate of doing well in the league.” alluded Matthews in a pre-match comment leading up to the MTN8 final.
The former Zimbabwe international delivered and silenced his critics by defeating the Owen Da Gama led Lions of the North side to claim his first trophy as a coach.
No one epitomises the Supersport United club philosophy more than Tembo a man who literally has been part of the furniture at Matsatsantsa a Pitori.
“I have paid my school fees. I started at this club as a player, I became captain. I then coached junior teams and the MultiChoice Diski Challenge team. I was an assistant coach for many years and I worked under different coaches. I have been a caretaker coach in this club before and now I’m the coach. So, I know this club. I know what it is about,” Tembo said.
“The board, the CEO Stan Matthews, always gives me a hard time because they believes in me I really appreciate that. It’s not easy for them to give an opportunity to someone like me but I really appreciate that,” Tembo said.
Tembo is one of the longest serving members of the three-time South African Premiership champions as he has been with the club for nearly 20 years.
In the past Supersport United have tried a number of coaches since the successful tenure of Gavin Hunt who won an unprecedented three successive league championships. Cavin Johnson, Gordon Igesund, Stuart Baxter and Eric Tinkler are some of the coaches to had had stints with the Pretoria based side but with limited success.
By Gerald Dandah
