JOHANNESBURG - The mandate is very straight forward for Baroka FC’s caretaker coach McDonald Makhubedu, if he nurses hopes of getting the job on a full-time basis.
"Get us in to the final of the Nedbank Cup and finish in the Top 8 and you will land the job on a full-time basis."
This is what Baroka’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Morgan Mamilla told Independent Media when he was asked about the state of the coaching position at the Limpopo Premiership club.
Baroka recently parted ways with their long-standing coach Kgoloko Thobejane.
His assistant Makhubedu has been in change of the team in the last four weeks.
“Makhubedu will take over the coaching reigns until the end of the season," Mamilla said, adding that they are already inundated with applications for the job from outsiders.
"We are receiving a lot of CV’s. We are receiving about three CV’s per day. But we are not going to entertain them. We are happy with what Makhubedu has done so far. He has started on a good note.
"You will know that we have already reached the semifinals of the Nedbank Cup twice. Now, we want him to take us to the Nedbank Cup final and help us to finish in the Top 8. If he does that, we will give him the job on a permanent basis."
Baroka are currently 7th on the league table and will be in Thursday's draw for the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals.
With Doctor Khumalo the technical director at Baroka, there were expectations that the former Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach would take over from Thobejane. But Mamilla said Khumalo will remain in his position.
“We have no intention of moving Doctor from his position. He is doing well as the Technical Director, so there’s no need to move him anywhere," Mamilla explained. "He is excelling in his current position so why change him? For now we are not interested in a new coach."
Meanwhile Gift Motupa has been pivotal for Baroka this season. The striker is, however, on loan from Orlando Pirates and Mamilla says he knows that they will lose him come the end of the season.
“We don’t hold players back. We want players to grow. He has done his part at Baroka and we will let him go back to Pirates. We will let him go and grow there. He is here on a one year loan deal and when that deal does expire he will go back to Pirates, “ Mamilla lamented.