The 40-year-old seamlessly transitioned into coaching after calling time on his playing career. He now faces the daunting task of reviving a side that has endured a 10-match winless run in the Premier Soccer League. All eyes will be on him to inspire a turnaround and restore belief within a struggling squad.
The 40-year-old has been given an opportunity to prove his mettle as a coach. After working as an assistant to Adnan Beganovic, he is now at the helm of the Rockets, who are in the Nedbank Cup final, which is a big test for him.
The Rockets' chairman has opened up on the difficult decision to sack the 43-year-old coach, admitting that the terrifying reality of relegation left him with no other choice. Despite a three-year tenure that saw the coach become a staple of the club's identity, a disastrous winless run forced the Mpumalanga-based side's hierarchy to swing the axe.
Berhalter has hailed rising Mzansi star after the player's standout Major League Soccer debut. The 21-year-old was thrust into the starting XI as the Men in Red ran riot in a 5-0 demolition of rivals Sporting Kansas City, leaving the Chicago Fire mentor glowing over his prospect's immediate impact.
The Amakhosi legend has stepped in from his role as assistant coach at a pivotal moment for the Mpumalanga club, as they look to salvage their season with silverware. Fully aware of the challenges facing the Rockets, the man in charge remains determined to put the campaign’s struggles behind them by delivering glory in the Ke Yona final.
The Rockets fired Adnan Beganovic last week as the team is edging closer to a major Cup final against Durban City. A former Amakhosi star takes charge, but on an interim basis, which is his first time being head coach of a Premier Soccer League.
Former top-flight head coach has broken his silence following his sudden departure from the club, admitting that being denied the chance to lead his team into a cup final is a bitter pill to swallow. The 43-year-old tactician was relieved of his duties by the chairman this week, ending a nearly two-year tenure just as the club reaches the business end of the season.
The bid to succeed Kaizer Chiefs as champions of this season’s top knockout competition will be contested between the Rockets and the Citizens. This follows the conclusion of the tournament’s last-four stage, which has now set up a decisive showdown. With the semi-finals settled, the stage is now firmly set for one of the two sides to be crowned the new Ke Yona champions.
The KwaZulu-Natal outfit remains on course to win their first major trophy after reaching the final of South Africa's biggest knockout competition. They now wait for the winner between TS Galaxy and Milford FC, who clash in another semi-final match.
The Rockets have experienced a season of sharp contrasts, swinging between impressive highs and disappointing lows. From stunningly knocking the Brazilians out of the top domestic competition to suffering a humiliating Premier Soccer League defeat at the hands of the Buccaneers, their campaign has been anything but predictable. As a result, opponents often struggle to know what version of the Rockets they will face.
The respected football stakeholder in South Africa insists that some club owners are so much into their teams that they want to dictate some critical aspects. The tactician argues that a section of coaches have no free hand in determining who should be fielded because the managements have their interest.
Casric Stars are dreaming of an unprecedented double as they prepare for their semi-final clash against Durban City. The Motsepe Foundation Championship side have already proven they can compete with the elite after a giant-killing run that has seen them dispatch some of the biggest names in South African football.
The Premier Soccer League clubs strengthened in the short January transfer window in their bid to realise their set objectives. While some players have settled and delivered for their respective teams, others have struggled to make an impact at their clubs.
The Sea Robbers have been consistent for the most part of the season domestically, where they have already won the MTN8 and the Carling Knockout. They are now chasing the South African top-flight crown a couple of months after a heartbreaking elimination from the Nedbank Cup by surprise package Casric Stars.
The dream of lifting silverware for Usuthu may be over, but for the ambitious coach ‘10111’, as he’s affectionately known by the fans, there’s still one last mission to cement the club’s name among the elite.
The Mpumalanga side overpowered their visitors from the Northern Cape to become the first top-flight league side into the semi-finals, joining Casric Stars and Milford FC in the last four. Meanwhile, the KwaZulu-Natal derby between Golden Arrows and Durban City will determine who takes up one spot left to claim.
The Mpumalanga side overpowered Spears to become the first Goliath into the semi-finals, joining Casric and Milford in the last four. Meanwhile, tension is building ahead of the KwaZulu-Natal derby, with just one spot left to claim.
The final four teams are officially confirmed as City secured a hard-fought penalty shootout victory over Abafana Bes'thende to join the Rockets, as well as lower-division sides Casric Stars and Milford FC in the last-four.
Without a doubt, the Ke Yona Cup has been nothing short of full of surprises this campaign, with all three Premier Soccer League giants already eliminated. However, for the Mpumalanga side, who will be up against a third-tier opponent, Parker and his team will be hoping to avoid any slip-ups as they look to follow in the footsteps of their 2019 triumph.
Following a string of incidents in the mid-week fixtures various coaches have lashed out at the Premier Soccer League's officiating standards. With calls for VAR introduction reaching fever pitch, AmaZulu FC's Arthur Zwane has joined the growing chorus of dissatisfied tacticians clamouring for improvement.
The Pretoria side will be aiming to settle scores with Abafana Bes'thende in a clash that promises excitement, as the KwaZulu-Natal team looks to bounce back after a disappointing weekend draw, while Masandawana remain steadfast in their title defence mission. Downs will need to win this game because if they drop points, that means they would have ceded some ground to title race rivals, Orlando Pirates.
The Tshwane giants will be determined to claw their way back to the summit of the Premier Soccer League table, a task that promises to be anything but straightforward. Babina Noko, equally desperate, are battling for every available point as they look to solidify their place in the title race.
The Glamour Boys' supporters have grown increasingly restless, having initially given the co-coaches the benefit of the doubt after an early promise. Now, trust in those at the helm has worn thin. Ahead of the crucial Soweto Derby, one of Amakhosi coaches has openly stated that a victory would not only secure three points but also help appease their fans.
The 27-year-old last played a competitive football match in November 2025 while on loan at Orbit College from Orlando Pirates. He was apparently playing while carrying a thigh injury that flared up again after his shock move to Chloorkop in January. Now, as February draws to a close, rumours have started swirling about why the winger has yet to make an appearance in a match day squad at Masandawana.
The Sea Robbers joined giants Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs out of the competition after falling to minnows on Saturday. The second-tier outfit were inspired by their custodian, who was confident throughout the game, ensuring his defense didn't leak. The 25-year-old has explained his heroics against the Soweto giants.
During the Buccaneers Nedbank Cup exit at the hands of second-tier Casric Stars, a section of the home support started booing 'Tito'. Now, in the aftermath of the defeat and with the Derby just days away, Innocent Chikoya has slammed the fans who targeted the 27-year-old and reminded them that the attacker was their last-minute penalty hero against Amakhosi just a year ago.
The Brazilians went into their Nedbank Cup Round of 16 tie against TS Galxy brimming with confidence after qualifying for the CAF Champions League quarter finals, and beating league title rivals Orlando Pirates 2-1. But the coach fielded a side full of fringe players who were undone by the Rockets to crash out of the Nedbank Cup. Now Sello Mahlangu has lashed out at the coach and his decision making.
The Buccaneers coach is refusing to hit the panic button ahead of Saturday's crucial Betway Premiership derby against Amakhosi, insisting his side can still win the Betway Premiership title despite a brutal week of defeats that saw them crash out of the Nedbank Cup and cede ground to league title rivals Mamelodi Sundowns.
The domestic competition is set to have a new winner after the defending champions, Kaizer Chiefs, were eliminated. The Round of 16 matches concluded on Sunday with more teams booking their places in the quarter-final. Babina Noko, who are also mathematically in the Premier Soccer League title race, progressed in this knockout competition.
After a disappointing week for the Sea Robbers, the much-anticipated Soweto derby, one of the biggest fixtures in the domestic calendar, will be about more than just bragging rights. The Buccaneers will be under immense pressure to respond to their back-to-back defeats, something the left winger has reassured supporters that they are ready to address with a strong performance.
