Kaitano Tembo remains in the coaching seat at SuperSport United

SuperSport United players return to training next week and Kaitano Tembo looks set to take charge of their pre-season camps as the club does not appear to be close to appointing a new head coach.

Steve Komphela‚ Luc Eymael‚ Stuart Baxter‚ Gordon Igesund and former coach Gavin Hunt appear to be strong contenders to fill the vacant job while Teboho Moloi and Rulani Mokwena are viewed as outsiders for the seat largely because of their inexperience at this level.

Komphela is available since he was fired by Kaizer Chiefs late last season after the club failed to reach the Nedbank Cup final following a 2-0 defeat to Luc Eymael-coach Free State Stars in the semi final.

But it is going to be a tall order to lure Eymael from Free State Stars‚ Baxter from Bafana Bafana and Hunt from Bidvest Wits as they are under contracts.

Kaitano‚ who took over as caretaker coach for the last seven league matches of last season after the dismissal of Eric Tinkler‚ cannot be ruled out after he managed to collect ten out of 21 points as United avoided the drop and qualified for the MTM8.

United boss Stan Matthews could not be reached on Tuesday morning to comment on their search for a new coach.

Other PSL clubs have been clearing the deadwood and boosting their squads during the off-season break but United have only announced that they have parted ways with defender Tefu Mashamaite and striker Kingston Nkhatha.

Matthews said a few weeks ago that they would not make too many changes during the off-season but appointing a new coach would be their main priority.

“I don’t think there are going to be many changes at the club because we have the core of the team‚" he said at the time.

"It is going to be important that a coach is in place as soon as possible so that he is part of the planning in terms of player recruitment and preparation of the pre-season."

United players return to work on Monday and they will spend a week of fitness training and medicals at their base at Megawatt Park in Johannesburg.

The club will then travel to Polokwane and Durban to conduct training camps with Tembo in charge.