Black Leopards Allan Clark

Allan Clark during the Premiership match between AmaZulu FC and Maritzburg United at King Zwelithini Stadium. (Photo by Anesh Debiky/Gallo Images)

Relegation-threatened Black Leopards lose their coach

It has been a difficult season for Black Leopards, who only escaped relegation last term with a favourable result on the final day.

Black Leopards Allan Clark

Allan Clark during the Premiership match between AmaZulu FC and Maritzburg United at King Zwelithini Stadium. (Photo by Anesh Debiky/Gallo Images)

Black Leopards are in race to find their fifth coach of the 2019/20 season after Englishman Allan Clark resigned this week.

Clark is believed to have been offered a coaching opportunity in Europe and has resigned with immediate effect having directed the team in only a handful of games.

Black Leopards lose Clark

It has been a difficult season for Black Leopards, who only escaped relegation last term with a favourable result on the final day.

Cavin Johnson had been sacked by Black Leopards in February with his then-assistant Clark assuming the head coach duties as the fourth new coach installed at the Thohoyandou-based outfit.

Leopards are rooted to the bottom of the PSL table with just 20 points from 24 matches coming courtesy of five wins, and five draws with only fellow Limpopo strugglers Polokwane City losing more matches in the league so far.

The Leopards job had been Clark’s first in the head coach role having served as an assistant at Platinum Stars, SuperSport United and AmaZulu.

Leopards will have just weeks to replace Clark before the Premier Soccer League restarts.

The new coach will have just six matches to save the team from the fate of the straight drop down into the National First Division that awaits the club that finishes bottom of the PSL.

Leopards third run in the premier division began when they won promotion from the National First Division at the end of the 2017/18 season. Since rejoining the PSL Lidoda Duvha’s day has seldom come. The club have won just 12 of 54 matches played in their third stay in the top-flight.

The club managed to hand onto star Zambia striker Mwape Musonda, but he has not hit the heights he reached in winning the league’s golden boot in the 2018/19 season.

Beating the drop

Clark’s tenure started well with a 2-1 win over Stellenbosch FC which lifted Leopards out of the relegation zone, but normal service soon resumed. A creditable performance against Orlando Pirates was not enough to avoid a 1-0 defeat before defeats to Limpopo rivals Polokwane City and Baroka FC saw them return to the basement.

The PSL fixture list has not yet been released but Leopards face tricky matches against Sundowns, Wits and Maritzburg United and SuperSport United among their six remaining games. They will also face Golden Arrows and Amazulu who are themselves engaged in the relegation battle, currently sitting just three points above Leopards.