Baroka FC have suspended their coach Vincent Kobola because he attended the CAF C Licence course in Germiston in Ekurhuleni without “properly” notifying the club.
The club deemed him AWOL, and he has been replaced by the ambitious Bushy Moloi as coach of the Motsepe Foundation Championship (MFC) outfit.
Baroka were relegated at the end of last season, and they are hoping to bounce back to the big-time league just after one season in the national first division doldrums. Kobola officially took over the coaching reins with a few matches remaining, but it was too late to save the club from the relegation axe. He continued with his task of coaching Ba Kgaga in the off-season and in the beginning of this campaign.
The CAF coaching course started on November 12 and was concluded on November 26. Other budding coaches who burnt the midnight oil with Kobola are Bernard Parker, Happy Jele, Musa Nyatama, Khabo Zondo, Thela Ngobeni, Manqoba “Shakes” Ngwenya, Bevan Fransman, Wayne Arendse and Esrom Nyandoro.
“I cannot comment because there is an internal case against me on Monday,” Kobola told Sunday World. “I will only be able to talk about the matter once I get my verdict after the case,” he added.
But an insider close to the matter said Kobola informed the chairman of the club (Khurishi Mphahlele) that he was leaving for Johannesburg to attend the CAF coaching course – but the chairman says he did not give the coach permission. What has muddied the water is that the club has got another coach (Moloi) while the matter with Kobola is still being heard, said the informant.
Baroka acting CEO Richard Mashabane said they could not divulge further information except that the verdict will be heard tomorrow. “As a club we cannot comment about the verdict. It is beyond my control and the chairman of the hearing will announce his verdict. The charges were poor work performance and insubordination. We want to make it clear that we did not fire the coach. He is suspended until the verdict is made. Coach Bushy Moloi is there on an interim basis until the matter is resolved.”
The club’s last match was when they lost 4-2 against NB La Masia before the Fifa calendar break and the lengthy World Cup break. Since then, Kobola has not shown his face at the club to prepare for the second round – and has been attending coaching courses, which were organised by Safa Ekurhuleni.
Meanwhile, Baroka walloped Hyenas FC 6-0 in a friendly match to keep the side active during this long Fifa World Cup break. The former Nedbank Cup champions will also hold trials for aspiring players in Polokwane starting on December 12.
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