ODG to TS Galaxy?
TS Galaxy are expected to announce Owen da Gama‚ the former coach of the now defunct Highlands Park‚ as their new head coach on Monday‚ TimesLIVE has been reliably told.
Da Gama will be replacing Zipho Dlangalala who was handed the reigns on a caretaker basis after the sacking of Dan Malesela towards the end of last year.
The 3-0 DStv Premiership loss against SuperSport United at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday seem to have prompted Galaxy owner Tim Sukazi to relieve former assistant coach Dlangalala who had oversaw two matches in which the Rockets collected one point.
Galaxy had drawn 2-2 at home against Baroka FC in their first league match this year before another poor performance at home against third-placed United on Saturday.
The Mpumalanga club remains four places away from the bottom after winning only one‚ drawing five and losing four of the 10 Premiership matches they’ve played in their debut season in the top flight.
Sukazi bought Galaxy a place in SA’s elite league by acquiring the status of Highlands at the conclusion of last season.
Da Gama‚ who has been without a club since the demise of Highlands‚ will now return to the Premiership to coach a club brimming with players he was with at Highlands last season.
Those players include goalkeeper Marlon Heugh‚ Sphiwo Msimango‚ Bevan Fransman‚ Luckyboy Mokoena‚ Marks Monyai‚ Mlungisi Mbunjana‚ Reinelwe Letsholonane‚ Mokete Mogalia and Lindokuhle Mbatha.
Galaxy will join Black Leopards (Dylan Kerr)‚ Maritzburg United (Ernst Middendorp)‚ Chippa United (Malesela) and AmaZulu FC (Benni McCarthy) as PSL clubs that have changed their head coaches even before reaching the halfway mark of the 2020-21 campaign.
Galaxy’s sole victory came at home against AmaZulu in their second league match in October and Da Gama‚ who had been with Highlands for a couple of seasons in the Premiership‚ might fancy his chances of lifting the Rockets away from the dreaded axe.
Galaxy’s next league match is at home against the equally struggling Malesela’s 15th placed Chippa on Saturday.