Platinum Stars have decided not to renew coach Cavin Johnson’s contract, which was due to expire at the end of June.
Stars chairman Cliff Ramoroa announced on Monday that Dikwena “would like to move to another level” going forward.
Johnson’s axing could be considered a bit harsh, as he guided Stars to third in the Absa Premiership in the 2015/16 season, and ninth in the just-completed campaign.
But perhaps the cup success achieved by his predecessor Allan Freese in 2013 – when Platinum won both the MTN8 and Telkom Knockout – counted against him, as Johnson was unable to bring silverware back to Rustenburg in what was his third tenure in charge.
The 58-year-old Johnson’s last game at the helm was on Sunday night in Tunisia, where Dikwena went down 3-0 to CS Sfaxien in the CAF Confederation Cup.
The defeat was their second in Group B, with one draw, which leaves them bottom of the group with just a single point.
“We can confirm that the club is not going to renew the contract of Mr Cavin Johnson for the 2017/18 season. We would like to express sincere gratitude for all the hard work and efforts by Mr Johnson and the technical team. Mr Johnson did his best in terms of ensuring that the clubs reaches the levels that it is in,” said Ramoroa in a statement.
“We would like to move to another level. We believe that a change of this nature would really bring someone who will take the club to another level.
“This is a contract not being renewed. It’s not a firing or anything.”
Ramoroa said a new coach will be appointed before the start of the next season, with the league beginning in August.