Another coach in hot water as PSL prosecutor asks him to explain his comments

30 October 2019 - 17:08 By Tiisetso Malepa
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Polokwane City coach Zlatko Krmpotic is in hot water.
Polokwane City coach Zlatko Krmpotic is in hot water.
Image: Philip Maeta/Gallo Images

Premier Soccer League (PSL) prosecutor Nande Becker will have his hands full dealing with disciplinary issues involving several locals coaches after Polokwane City coach Zlatko Krmpotic became the second in as many days to be asked to explain himself.

Becker wrote a letter to the Polokwane coach in relation to the comments he directed towards match officials‚ the PSL confirmed on Wednesday.

“The League prosecutor has given Mr Krmpotic five days to respond to the letters sent to him to either deny or admit the comments attributed to him in the media‚” the League said on Wednesday.

The statement came a day after Becker wrote a similar letter to Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane over a similar alleged offense.

Krmpotic accused referee Victor Gomes of being one-sided during City’s defeat on penalties to Highlands Park in the second leg of the MTN8 semifinal in Tembisa in September.

The 61-year-old Serbian coach said at the time that Gomes’s officiating made it difficult for his team and now he finds himself in hot water.

After Polokwane were beaten 4-3 in a penalty shootout following 180 minutes of goalless action away at Highlands‚ Krmpotic tore into referee Gomes.

"When you play against the opponent and also against the referee‚ this is very hard‚” said Krmpotic after the match.

Cape Town City coach Benni McCarthy also berated match officials recently after two encounters against Kaizer Chiefs this season and could also receive a letter from Becker to explain his comments.

“But when you’re playing against a Kaizer Chiefs team and their best player is the referee then you know you’ve got no chance‚” said McCarthy on September 15 after a 4-1 thumping from the log leaders.

A little more than a month later McCarthy was at it again.

After a 2-1 Telkom Knockout defeat to the same Chiefs on October 19‚ McCarthy said: “The referee was terrible‚ he might as well have just put on a Kaizer Chiefs shirt."

Highlands coach Owen da Gama also joined the bandwagon of recent furious condemnation of match officials after his side lost 1-0 against Orlando Pirates through a controversial goal in Tembisa on Tuesday night.

“I think he (second assistant referee) should go to jail. You can’t do that at this level of the game‚” said Da Gama on Tuesday October 29 after controversially losing 1-0 to Orlando Pirates.


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now