Chippa mentor Mapeza becomes the 233rd different coach in the PSL era
Norman Mapeza will become the 233rd different coach to take charge of a club in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) era‚ which stretches back to 1996‚ when he makes his debut in charge of Chippa United in the first round of the Telkom Knockout.
Chippa host Bloemfontein Celtic at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in the East London township of Mdantsane on Tuesday in the last of the first round encounters.
Ex-Zimbabwe international Mapeza‚ who won the league title in his home country for the past two seasons‚ becomes the fourth different coach to take charge of a Chippa game this season.
The 47-year-old is the 115th foreign coach and the 10th from Zimbabwe to work in the PSL‚ following in the footsteps of Roy Barreto‚ Sunday Chidzambwa‚ Ian Gorowa‚ Bruce Grobbelaar‚ Wilfred Mugeyi‚ William Mugeyi‚ Shepherd Murape‚ Peter Nyama and MTN8 winner Kaitano Tembo.
Of the 233 coaches‚ just over half have been local.
The 118 South Africans are almost matched by the 115 foreigners‚ who have come from 38 different countries.
There have been 13 English coaches‚ 12 from the Netherlands and 10 from Serbia.
Coaches from recent World Cup winning countries have been less attractive to local bosses.
There have been five Brazilians‚ four Germans‚ four French‚ one Italian and one Spaniard.
Coaches have also come from 13 different African countries.
Last season‚ three of the four trophies on offer in the PSL were won by locals as Mamelodi Sundowns took the league under Pitso Mosimane; upstarts TS Galaxy the Nedbank Cup with Dan Malesela in charge and Benni McCarthy and Cape town City won the MTN8.
Ex-Zambian international Wedson Nyirenda led Baroka FC to a shock Telkom Knockout triumph.
Zimbabwean Tembo‚ in charge at SuperSport United‚ has taken this season’s MTN8.
Half the 16 top flight clubs this season have local coaches and the other half are foreign.
This is the 24th PSL season since the switch from playing the season inside a calendar year to starting in August and going through to May‚ as well as the rebranding of the old National Soccer League.