Kaitano Tembo was mistreated at the end

The sacking of Kaitano Tembo as the SuperSport United head coach in the South African premier league has left a bitter taste in the mouth.

Tembo had taken the reigns at the Pretoria-based club in 2018, taking over from Eric Tinkler who had a somewhat difficult short stint in charge.

Things changed for the better when Tembo stepped in, despite United finishing sixth at the end of the season. The following season, 2019/20, he delivered the MTN8 cup. Tembo was enjoying a working understanding with his youthful squad as many of the players were developed under his watch in the club's relatively successful academy. That season he finished fifth in the league, same position as in 2020/21. His work in the past two seasons has been made difficult by him losing his key players, mainly to crosstown rich boys, Mamelodi Sundowns.

The heaviest blow was when United's talisman Teboho Mokoena left for Sundowns in January this year, leaving Tembo and the team in serious limbo. Before him, other Matsatsantsa-A-Pitori (Smart young things of Pretoria) stars left during Tembo's tenure include Aubrey Modiba and Grant Kekana, also to Sundowns.

Creative midfielder Sipho Mbule is the last real star remaining at United but the recent big departures have clearly played havoc on his state of mind, and has not been the same player in recent month. The same can be said about the entire squad which, naturally, is feeling despondent about losing the gifted teammates and leaders.  

Now with Mbule strongly linked with a move to Kaizer Chiefs at the end of the current season in two months' time, Tembo responded with a feeling resignation when SowetanLIVE asked him about Mbule's future last month.

“I don't think we need to focus on that, the most important thing is Sipho Mbule is a SuperSport United player at the moment, that's our focus,” Tembo responded.

“What happens at the end of the season we cannot control that in football. But for now, I know that he's our player."

But that optimism by the clearly under pressure Tembo was given a mighty kick in the teeth by United management who has suspended Mbule, for being open about his interest to join Chiefs next season as a free agent. His contract ends in June, and he has rejected new offer by United. Even more disingenuous is the fact that United fires Tembo just days after executing Mbule's suspension, which is practically a sacking.

Other people might look at Tembo league record to find justification for his sacking - 55 wins from 135 matches, with 42 draws and 38 defeats. A 40% winning rate is not a stuff of standing ovations but truth must be told; Tembo's win percentage was hugely cut down by a string of defeats this year. All had not been well at the club and that was not Tembo's fault.

United's former captain's technical acumen as a football coach could not hold sway in boardroom matters but the same board cannot provide any evidence of giving Tembo the support he needed to navigate the stormy waters for his team.

The club did not sign quality replacements for the big stars that had left. The club relied on its young stars and a few middle-of-the-road signees they secured to surge forward. Clearly that was enough. Quality in football is everything while rising stars also have a role to the two must work in sync like industrial nuts and bolts.   

The final straw was the suspension of Mbule. What kind of motivation is that for a team whose want for inspiration is clearly huge?

You got to feel sympathy for Tembo for his loyalty. When rumours made rounds a week ago that Benni McCarthy was heading to SuperSport United after he was sacked by AmaZulu, Tembo responded to SowetanLIVE's enquiry again: "I'm not bothered by the rumours. I'm focusing on my work [and] I will still be here next season."

This was ahead of United's Nedbank Cup quarterfinal clash against second-tier TTM (Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila) at the weekend. United lost 3-2 after extra-time, after going 2-0 up earlier in the match and missing several chances to take their lead out of sight for TTM.

A few days later United CEO Stan Matthews announced Tembo's axing, saying losing to lower league club was the final straw. After that Matthews sang praises of Tembo for his hard work, determination and loyalty.

If that is the case, then why didn't the club allow Tembo to finish and determine his league season, and decide at the end of it whether he is worth spending real money to recruit real talent for the new season?

I think Kaitano Tembo was mistreated by SuperSport in the last months of 23 years of loyal service.