National First Division high-flyers Mpumalanga Black Aces have appointed former FC Cape Town coach Johnny Ferreira as their new technical director, for their Johannesburg-based Corinthians/Black Aces Academy.
Ferreira will also coach the academy’s under-19 side, while ex-Platinum Stars defender, Marco da Silva, will take charge of their under-13 team, as Aces push towards producing more youth for the professional arena.
Club co-chairman Mario Morfou confirmed the appointments to Soccer-Laduma and explained the club’s decision to grow the academy in Gauteng instead of Mpumalanga.
“The reason we have the academy in Senderwood is that there’re no facilities or leagues in Mpumalanga,” he said. “About five years ago we closed our Witbank academy for that very same reason. We used to play away for our home and away games but are now looking to enter up to 41 teams from U-5 upwards.”
Aces’ Vodacom Second Division side, which is a feeder to the first team, will remain in Witbank as does their NFD outfit.
