Former Kaizer Chiefs‚ Orlando Pirates‚ Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana coach Ted Dumitru collapsed in a shopping mall and was rushed to hospital on Thursday‚ but could not be saved.
Confirming the legendary coach had died‚ the South African Football Association said he was 76 years old.
Safa’s technical committee head and close friend Natasha Tsichlas told TMG Sport: “He was not well since yesterday [Wednesday]. He was suffering from a headache and feeling a bit dizzy.
“This morning‚ he was not feeling well again. But he still went to Woolworths to do some shopping‚ and then he collapsed.
“Paramedics were called out but they could not revive him.”
He was taken to hospital where his death was later confirmed‚ according to various reports.
Dumitru last worked as a technical director for Mamelodi Sundowns‚ where he won back-to-back Premier Soccer League titles in 1997-98 and 1998-99.
He repeated that feat with Kaizer Chiefs in 2003-04‚ 2004-05‚ for a total of four league titles‚ a number that has only been equalled by Gordon Igesund.
He coached Bafana at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt‚ where they failed to win a game to exit in the first round.
Dumitru moved to South Africa‚ via coaching stints in the rest of Africa‚ from native Romania in 1985.
Former Chiefs coach Ted Dumitru dies
Former Kaizer Chiefs‚ Orlando Pirates‚ Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana coach Ted Dumitru collapsed in a shopping mall and was rushed to hospital on Thursday‚ but could not be saved.
Confirming the legendary coach had died‚ the South African Football Association said he was 76 years old.
Safa’s technical committee head and close friend Natasha Tsichlas told TMG Sport: “He was not well since yesterday [Wednesday]. He was suffering from a headache and feeling a bit dizzy.
“This morning‚ he was not feeling well again. But he still went to Woolworths to do some shopping‚ and then he collapsed.
“Paramedics were called out but they could not revive him.”
He was taken to hospital where his death was later confirmed‚ according to various reports.
Dumitru last worked as a technical director for Mamelodi Sundowns‚ where he won back-to-back Premier Soccer League titles in 1997-98 and 1998-99.
He repeated that feat with Kaizer Chiefs in 2003-04‚ 2004-05‚ for a total of four league titles‚ a number that has only been equalled by Gordon Igesund.
He coached Bafana at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt‚ where they failed to win a game to exit in the first round.
Dumitru moved to South Africa‚ via coaching stints in the rest of Africa‚ from native Romania in 1985.
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