The relationship between Black Leopards FC and the team’s head coach, Mr Alejandro Dorado Rodriguez, is now a thing of the past. The 38-year-old coach was in charge of the team for their first three league games.

Under Dorado’s guidance, Black Leopards managed to collect only one point from the three games. They played to a goalless draw with Pretoria Callies in their season opener but suffered defeats of 0-1 and 0-2 to Casric Stars and Orbit College FC respectively.

Although the club’s chairman, Mr Tshifhiwa Thidiela, declined to comment on the matter, a reliable source has indicated that Mr Dorado did not report for the team’s training session after their loss to Orbit College. According to the informant, the Spanish national coach realised that fulfilling his contractual obligations would be impossible after the team’s second defeat.

Mr Dorado’s employment contract with the club was reportedly performance-based. According to the contract, the team was expected to collect at least nine points in their first five games. The insider further stated that Mr Dorado did not need to wait for the team’s fourth match, given that they had only accumulated one point in three games, making the reaching of the required minimum points after the fifth match highly improbable.

Efforts to reach Mr Dorado for comment were unsuccessful. In the interim, Mr Thulani Moyo took charge of the team during their 0-2 loss to Magesi FC at Polokwane’s Old Peter Mokaba Stadium last Saturday. Black Leopards were reportedly in the process of finalising a deal with Malawian coach Mr Peter Mponda and former U/20 national team coach Mr Solly Luvhengo.

Mponda and Luvhengo are expected to work as co-coaches and will be on the team’s technical bench for their upcoming home game against Upington City at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Saturday.

However, worth noting is that Lidoda Duvha will be without their centre-back, Mokone Mereko, in the game against Upington City as he is still under suspension for a red card he received in the match against Orbit College two weeks ago.