Following the appointment of Daine Klate as Chippa United coach, Soccer Laduma looks at ages of DStv Premiership coaches from youngest to oldest.
At age 37, Klate has taken on one of the most difficult jobs, with a hard-to-please chairman in Chippa Mpengesi, a man who is not afraid to wield the axe on coaches who do not get results. But Klate is not the youngest coach going into the 2022/23 season.
Marumo Gallants have appointed 32-year-old Romain Folz, after they ended their relationship with Dan Malesela. Folz previously worked in Botswana as head coach of Township Rollers and has been trusted with leading the Nedbank Cup finalists in both domestic and continental footbal, as the Limpopo outfit will be competing in the CAF Confederation Cup. Another coach who is in his 30s is Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rulani Mokwena. The 35-year-old has led Sundowns to back-to-back DStv Premiership titles as co-coach, working with 51-year-old Manqoba Mngqithi.
Vusumuzi Vilakazi and Mabhuti Khenyeza were appointed as co-coaches at Golden Arrows, making them one of the youngest coaches in the league. Vilakazi is 39, while Khenyeza turned 40 in June. Sekhukhune United co-coach Macdonald Makhubedu turns 40 in September.
TS Galaxy coach Sead Ramovic is one of the coaches in his 40s. The former German Bundesliga player is 43, the same age as Richards Bay coach Pitso Dladla. AmaZulu coach Brandon Truter is 45 and newly-appointed Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riviero is a year older at 46. Kaizer Chiefs mentor Arthur Zwane is 48.
There are a few coaches who are in their 50s. Maritzburg United coach John Maduka, Sekhukhune United's Kaitano Tembo and Eric Tinkler of Cape Town City are the same age as Mngqithi at 51, while Stellenbosch mentor Steve Barker is 54. Swallows FC coach Dylan Kerr is 55 and SuperSport United's Gavin Hunt is three years older at 58. New Royal AM coach Khabo Zondo is the oldest in the league at age 60.
