Baroka again stick by Thobejane after drubbing
‘Why should I fire the coach?’
Just when many had thought Baroka’s 5-1 drubbing by Cape Town City away on Sunday would prove the final nail in Kgoloko Thobejane’s coffin, club chair Khurishi Mphahlele has reaffirmed his faith in the coach.
Since taking over from Matsemela Thoka in November Thobejane boasts a measly two wins from 13 league games, with eight defeats and three stalemates, hence Baroka are bottom of the DStv Premiership table. Even so, Mphahlele still believes Thobejane is the right man to save the side’s top-flight status with just seven games to go.
“Of course I am still sticking by the coach. Why should I fire the coach? He must just continue with his work and make sure we move up the table. He’s doing his work, so I can’t tell him what to do. Yes, it’s tough but the coach knows what to do and we’ll soldier on,” Mphahlele told Sowetan on Monday.
The Baroka chair also dismissed rumours that he was pondering recalling Thoka to act as co-coach. When Thobejane returned for a second spell he had been coaching the Diski side, meaning he swapped roles with Thoka, who has since been removed as the reserve team coach to be the manager instead. Thoka’s Diski tenure was ended by a 5-0 defeat to Stellenbosch last month.
“There’s no chance for that [the co-coaching] to happen. We must just give coach Thobejane full support, nothing else,” noted Mphahlele.
Thobejane couldn’t speak to Sowetan on Monday, saying he was at the airport in Cape Town travelling back home. Baroka host AmaZulu at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday at 5pm.
Thobejane's 13-match reign
November 28 v Arrows: lost 3-2 away
December 2 v Pirates: drew 0-0 away
December 8 v Swallows: lost 1-0 at home
December 11 v CPT City: drew 0-0 at home
December 14 v Sundowns: lost 2-1 away
December 18 v Stellenbosch: lost 1-0 away
December 22 v Royal AM: won 1-0 at home
February 14 v Sundowns: managed a 1-all draw at home
February 20 v Sekhukhune: thumped 4-0 on the road
February 26 v Chiefs: lost 1-0 at home
March 2 v Gallants: lost 3-0 away
March 5 v Galaxy: won 1-0 at home
April 3 v CPT City: thrashed 5-1 away