Former Orlando Pirates development and Lesotho national team coach, Thabo Senong, is stranded in a hotel room in Zanzibar, Tanzania, after his Premier League side Singida Fountain Gate FC showed him the door last week. Senong joined the team in September 2023, with fellow South Africans, goalkeeper's coach Thembalethu Moses and biokinetics Kelvin Ndlomo. 

RECRUITED TO THE TEAM BY FORMER CHIEFS COACH

The trio were recruited to the east African team by former Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp. The German born Middendorp quit the team a month later, leaving Brazilian coach Ricardo Ferreira to coach the club, with Senong as his assistant. After quitting the club, Middendorp, who now coaches Cape Town Spurs, complained about management interference in his team selection. 

FIRED AND NOT PAID SALARY

In a statement on Tuesday, Senong said the authorities of the team scheduled an urgent meeting for the next day with the entire technical team without explaining the purpose of the meeting. "We expected that there would be words of praise, however, that was in no way the case. The intention of the meeting became clear. It was all about expressing dissatisfaction. My point of view was not requested. A discussion was not desired…" Senong statement said, confirming he was fired by the team. The team also released a statement about his departure, saying: "Singida Fountain Gate FC has reached a mutual agreement to part ways with head coach, Thabo Senong, along with his entire coaching staff with immediate effect." Without mentioning that the technical team has not been paid their salaries and that the axed technical team was holed up in a Tanzanian hotel, they said: "Both parties have decided after a thorough evaluation and consultation by the agreement and the common good." The team is also not paying for the fired technical team at the hotel where they're staying at the moment.

SAFA AWARE OF THE MATTER

The 43-year-old Senong has coached the SA Under 20 teams at international level, and also became Sekhukhune United assistant coach. A source said the Tanzanian team, which is number 7 on the log, is not taking calls from Senong. "The team did not book his flight ticket to come home and now he is stuck in a hotel without money. This is heartbreaking because they are also not communicating with him," the source said. "Remember what happened with Pitso Mosimane when he was fired by his team in Saudi Arabia? They paid dearly for that. Thabo and his team should not worry. Singida Fountain Gate FC will pay their salaries because FIFA will make sure to punish this team that behaves as if these people don't have rights," said the source. Clayson Monyela from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation could not be reached for a comment.