- Coach reported to be in contact with a few SA clubs
- He leaves Rollers due to a reported fall out with the President
LETLHOGILE MPUANG
A number of South African clubs are reported to have revived their interest in Serbian gaffer Nikola Kavazovic. Gazette Sports understands.
The 43 year coach has been in charge of Township Rollers after joining the side at the start of the 2017/18 season. He proved to be an instant hit as he led the club to a league and cup double in his first season in charge. Furthermore he was the mastermind behind Rollers success in the CAF Champions League, which saw Popa become the first local side to reach the group stages of the competition.
Ahead of this season, Kavazovic was said to have attracted huge interest from clubs in South Africa and North Africa. He told the media that should any of the clubs interested in his services present a good offer he was more than willing to accept it. However the club’s President Jagdish Shah came out and assured Rollers faithfuls that the coach will not be leaving anytime.After last week after Rollers’s 3 nil win over Police XI, Kavazovic was said to have given a farewell message to his players and the rest of his technical staff. He was believed to have told the players that it was his last game in charge and would not be available for their next game.
Rollers Public Relations Officer Bafana Pheto said they were aware of the coach’s farewell massage to the players, but dispelled any notion that the coach had resigned.
On Thursday online platforms were awash with reports that the coach had resigned from his head coach position but the club released a statement on Friday underlining that the serbian was still in charge of the team. They cited the online reports and outlied that there was no truth to the rumours.
“The coach has clarified his comments made to players after the Police game. we therefore wish to inform our members, supporters, well-wishers and the general public that Nikola Kavazovic is still the head coach of Township Rollers,” the club stated.
It has now emerged that the coach is currently being courted by a few sides in the Absa Premiership. Baroka FC and Supersport United are the two teams that are believed to be interested in the Serbian coach.
South African based Sowetan & Supersport reporter Tiyani Mabasa says Kavazovic joining Baroka would make more sense considering their current poor run of form. The club, which has two Botswana internationals in Mpho Kgaswane and Onkabetse Makgantai is currently lying at the bottom of the league.
“I think the Baroka interest makes more sense more-so that the team is currently not doing so well and the coach (Wedson Nyirenda) is under so much pressure,” Mabasa shared his views with Gazette Sport.
“As for Supersport United, I really doubt that they are interested because they have just given their coach a new deal and he is doing very well, they have reached the MTN 8 final and they are also fifth in the league. He is even doing very better than the management had expected,” he concluded.