Moroka Swallows CEO Leon Prins has confirmed that Zeca Marques will retain his job during the AFCON break, having guided his side to a morale-boosting 2-0 win over Platinum Stars.
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Recent reports suggested the Birds boss had two games to save his job following an eight-game winless run that saw last year's Premier Soccer League runners-up stumble to a dismal eleventh place, five points from the bottom of the standings.
Marques, who guided Swallows to the early-season MTN8 title - the club's first major success in years - even submitted his resignation after the 3-1 home defeat to SuperSport United, but this was dismissed out of hand, with Prins admitting he is optimistic about the club's future.
And with talisman Siyabonga Nomvete, who has been out of action all season, close to a return to action, there is real hope at the club.
Prins said: "The comprehensive 2-0 win in our last game against Platinum Stars has lifted the veil of despondency that had crept into the club, with Siyabonga fit again there is no reason why we should not recapture the form that earned us the MTN8 title at the start of the season.
"When any soccer team goes through a bad patch the hysterical often unfounded reaction is to blame the coach.
"I don't think Zeca was responsible for our decline," he added. "It was a general reaction of complacency in the first instance and then a loss of confidence among the players that had crept into the club after the MTN success."
Next up for Swallows is a PSL clash with fellow strugglers Ajax, on Wednesday February 13 2013.
Your Comments
leboacem
"I agree with prins the coach is not the problem, swallows needs are players particular in the middle park and defence. The middle park needs two players who are faster and have some accuracy with their thinking and passess(e.g.X Alonso of RM and Y Toure of ManCity). Players such as Tshabalala, Chenene and Mashego will benefit a lot from passes that are quicker to feed. Swallows also needs mobile technical effective wingbacks than can be use as 2nd or 3rd attackers (e.g.Valencia of Manu or Walker of Spurs. Many of the current players have done a lot in the past 3 or so more seasons. The club officials need to build on the team by adding effective players instant of trying to squecy more on the already tired players. The win against platinum stars counts for one win of the many coming games that need to be won or scrap a point. With the current team, the road to may 2013 is thorny"
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