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Arrows sack Middendorp

Durban - Lamontville Golden Arrows have parted ways with coach Ernst Middendorp, the club announced on Friday.

The German appeared to have saved his job with a 2-1 victory over Kaizer Chiefs in the Absa Premiership on Monday, but owner Mato Madlala decided to make a change following a poor start to the season that has seen the side win just twice in their opening seven matches.

“Lamontville Golden Arrows and its head coach, Mr Ernst Middendorp, have parted ways,” the club said on Friday.

“Management at Arrows makes a commitment to supporters and the team that a suitable replacement will be found as a matter of urgency. Arrows would like to take this opportunity to wish Mr Middendorp well in his future endeavors.”

Former Abafana Bes’thende coach Manqoba Mngqithi is the clear favourite to return to the club after he was sacked by AmaZulu a fortnight ago.

Golden Arrows were desperately disappointed to lose him to Usuthu at the start of the 2010/11 season, and given that he knows the structures of the club and many of the players, he is a logical choice.

There had been rumours prior to Wednesday’s clash with Chiefs that Middendorp had one match to save his job, but following the win he scoffed at these suggestions.

“I read those reports but those writing the headlines should find better things to do with their time,” he said at the time. “Today it’s me, tomorrow it’s Julio (Cesar Leal, coach Orlando Pirates), next week it is Johan Neeskens. It is all rubbish.

“I believe that the club owners are not stupid. They know the work we do. It is not as if we are sleeping or running around when we are supposed to be doing our job.

“My chairperson (Mato Madladla) is at training in the morning and in the afternoon. She knows the work that we put in. If she felt I was useless she would have fired me long ago.”

Middendorp won four and lost eight of the 12 matches in which he was in charge of Golden Arrows after taking over from Zoran Filipovic in March.

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