Larsen replaces sacked Krmpotic as Polokwane City coach

Ambitious Limpopo-based Premiership outfit Polokwane City have appointed Clinton Larsen as head coach.

Larsen assumes the role vacated by the sacking of Serbian trainer Zlatko Krmpotic who had led the side to a disappointing start to the PSL season.

Larsen joined Polokwane City on Thursday

Rise and Shine have won just four league games this season and are just one point above the drop zone. The club were also dumped out of the Telkom Knockout in the first round suffering a 1-0 defeat to Golden Arrows in October.

Larsen was in charge of a Chippa United side that narrowly escaped relegation last term before the Nelson Mandela Bay side moved.

Polokwane City will be the seventh head coach job for the former Bafana Bafana midfielder who won the PSL title with Manning Rangers as a player.

Larsen’s first game in charge will come against one of the team’s he has coached in the past, Maritzburg United. The Team of Choice are just one point ahead of City, but sport a game in hand on the Limpopo club. United face Sundowns in the Telkom Knockout final next weekend (14 December).

“I joined them on Thursday,” Larsen confirmed his appointment this week.

“I had time away (from coaching) to spend some time with my family. As coaches, we don’t have enough time to be with our families. I am refreshed and ready to go again since leaving Chippa two months ago.”

Krmpotic was sacked last month but it took some time for Larsen and Polokwane City to reach an agreement on a 18-month contract. The coach was reportedly eager to watch Rise and Shine in action before committing his future to the club.

Formed in 2012 from the ashes of Bay United, Polokwane City finished 5th in last season’s Premiership and had targeted silverware this season only to suffer a dramatic dip in form.