Pretoria Callies are officially in crisis after Friday afternoon’s 2-1 Motsepe Foundation Championship defeat at home to Uthongathi. Coach Kwanele Kopo is now in a serious danger of losing his job, with his inability to even explain what is going wrong.
Such a situation seemed almost impossible at the start of the season, when the team was playing well but still losing points due to, in the eyes of many, poor officiating in their games.
With the season starting badly for Kopo and now getting worse, his future at the club could be in danger despite the alleged support from management.
Supporters have raised doubts about whether Kopo should lead the team’s project going forward, but This Is Football.Africa understands that chairman Mr. Moses Malada and the board, at this stage, consider Kopo’s future with the Tshwane side as safe.
However, with the poor results thus far, and the poor performances as a whole, the upcoming game against TTM will be one that club President Malada may consider as vital to Kopo’s future at the club.
“The situation is normal, they had a good training session this morning (Saturday,) and the coach was there doing his job,” a source at the club told This Is Football.Africa.
“Coach has a good relationship with management, but when results are not forthcoming, it becomes a problem. They are supporting him obviously, but things are not easy, they want him to win games, the plan is to turn things around with him.”
However, after his side’s controversial 1-0 lose to Polokwane City at home the previous week, before a goalless draw against Platinum City Rovers in Johannesburg last week Saturday, Kopo who has been complaining about the officiating in every game, admitted that if results are not coming, he would “Gladly step aside”.
“If you work in any company, when results don’t come, there are consequences, but at least here I’ve said it to the management of Callies. I have a good relationship with them, but I’ve said where we feel that the boat is sinking, I’ll gladly step aside, gladly, gladly step aside,” Kopo told this publication after the 1-0 defeat to City at Lucas Moripe Stadium.
“But I came to Callies to help the club become stable. I came to Callies on a three-year deal to rebuild the project. And I think the players that you see on the field reflect that.
“But it seems like that three-year plan somebody is saying, go and start it at the ABC Motsepe, that is the message we are getting from the people [referees] who control the game, so what must we do? But if it means I have to step aside, I will step aside.”
Friday’s results means the team has just one win in nine games, a 2-1 victory against NB La Masia at home.
The Romans are at the bottom of the table, with only five points. They face Tshakhuma Tsha Madivhandila at Thohoyandou Stadium on Wednesday.
