Mamelodi Sundowns are continuing to bolster their technical team, with sources indicating that a former Liverpool coach, who left Anfield last year, could be offered to the reigning Betway Premiership champions.
As reported in the latest Soccer Laduma, Sundowns are on the lookout for an additional goalkeeper coach to work alongside Kennedy Mweene, who recently transitioned into a coaching role following his retirement from professional football.
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The club parted ways with longtime goalkeeper coach Wendell Robinson in December last year, alongside Manqoba Mngqithi and Romain Folz, in a technical overhaul that ushered in Miguel Cardoso and his team.
However, Cardoso did not arrive with a specialist goalkeeper coach, creating an opportunity within the technical department.
A familiar name now linked with that vacancy is Dutch-born John Achterberg, who served as Liverpool FC’s First Team Goalkeeper Coach and Head of Goalkeeping from 2009 until 2024.
Over his 15-year tenure at Anfield, Achterberg worked under several high-profile managers including Rafa Benitez, Roy Hodgson, Kenny Dalglish, Brendan Rodgers, and most notably, Jurgen Klopp over the past nine years.
Achterberg’s legacy at Liverpool includes helping sign and develop elite-level keepers such as Simon Mignolet and Alisson Becker, while also nurturing promising talents like Caoimhin Kelleher and Danny Ward through the ranks.
Under his guidance, numerous academy goalkeepers went on to enjoy professional careers and contributed to a combined £20 million in transfer revenue for the club.
His experience overseeing both first-team and academy goalkeepers, combined with his scouting acumen and tactical understanding of modern goalkeeping, makes him a valuable prospect for a club like Sundowns – who are known for assembling a high-powered technical team.
The club has long embraced a collaborative coaching structure, a philosophy introduced during Pitso Mosimane’s successful reign and still maintained today.
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While Sundowns are also believed to be considering local candidates such as former AmaZulu goalkeeper coach Aubrey Vilakazi, the potential availability of a coach of Achterberg’s calibre has not gone unnoticed.
“He is a high-profile coach who can add value at Sundowns. His handlers in Europe are working closely with their South African contacts and will see if they can make it possible,” said the source.
Should this move materialise, it would represent a major coup for the Brazilians – bringing in a UEFA elite-level coach with proven experience at one of Europe’s biggest clubs, at a time when Sundowns continue to push for dominance both domestically and on the continent.
With the club preparing for the final stretch of the season, with CAF Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup ambitions still alive, the addition of someone of Achterberg’s pedigree could significantly enhance the team’s technical capacity.
Keep an eye on this space as the Siya crew continues to track developments around this potential appointment.
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