Middendorp, De Sa emerge as favourites to replace Butler at Stars

Well-travelled Ernst Middendorp and Roger de Sa have emerged as the main front-runners in the race to replace Peter Butler at Platinum Stars.

An insider told TimesLIVE on Thursday that the Stars board met with the beleaguered Butler in Rustenburg on Wednesday night and club officials are expected to make an official announcement by the weekend.

“The board met with him (Butler) on Wednesday night and what is left now is for an official announcement on his sacking‚" the insider said.

"The board has decided to act swiftly before things get worse because the players are not responding to him.”

Former Orlando Pirates coach Ruud Krol has also been linked to the job but his high salary demands could scuttle his chances at the cash-strapped Dikwena.

If Stars’ preferred choice to take over the reigns is De Sa‚ he will be on the bench when they return to league action against SuperSport United in Atteridgeville on Wednesday as he does not need to apply for a work permit.

Middendorp has not coached in South Africa since he left Maritzburg United in November and it is believed that he is in the country.

He was recently spotted at Lucas Moripe Stadium during the MTN8 quarter-final clash between Mamelodi Sundowns and Maritzburg.

De Sa’s last coaching job was also at Maritzburg United.

He left the club in March for ‘family reasons’ after spending less than three months in the job.

- TimesLIVE