Ernst Middendorp was sacked in a brief meeting with Bobby Motaung at the Kaizer Chiefs village in Naturena at the end of the 2019/20 season.
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This was after his team collapsed on the final day of DStv Premiership action and surrendered the title to Mamelodi Sundowns.
The Chiefs went into the final day needing a win against Baroka to finish top. And everything looks like Middendorp.
Amakhosi scored first and led for a while. But a late equalizer by Baroka meant Chiefs finished second.
To be fair to Middendorp, the team was severely disrupted by the Covid-19 outbreak which meant the league was halted for three months.
When the game resumed, they also lost George Maluleka whose contract had expired. Maluleka is a key player in the Middendorp team.
Middendorp first opened up about how he was fired on Robert Marawa’s Marawa Sports Worldwide this week.
“In a club this big, there are always opinions. Opinions from the chairman, the management, the director,” said Middendorp.
“And of course the technical team at the end, guided by the head coach. But let me tell you that there is no interference,”
‘Here, thank you coach’
“I was released when I was in a position to qualify for the CAF Champions League. It was just a disaster (losing the title) at the time.
“The final discussion from management was given to the team in front of me,” he said, describing his last day at Naturena.
“Everyone was on holiday and I went to Bobby Motaung’s office. That’s when he said to me, ‘The coach is.
“Thank you for your work and now you can go home. We will sort out the contract side’. It’s just a simple procedure,” added the former coach of Maritaburg.
The boss hired Gavin Hunt after Middendorp’s exit but he too was sacked within eight months.
Middendorp is currently a coach at Swallows FC where he is unable to work due to the need to steer the team away from the relegation zone.
In 19 games, the Swallows have collected only 21 points and are 14th in the 16th team log.
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Middendorp will be hoping for three points when they meet Cape Town City away on Saturday afternoon.