Venda FC Appoint Tembo As New Head Coach Following Larsen Exit
Venda Football Club has appointed former SuperSport United mentor Kaitano Tembo as their new head coach following the departure of Clinton Larsen.
Larsen parted ways with the Vhembe-based outfit earlier this week, leaving the club rooted to the bottom of the Motsepe Foundation Championship table with just one point from their opening five matches.
Tembo returns to domestic club management following a stint with the Zimbabwe national team. The former Sekhukhune United coach briefly stepped in to lead the Warriors after Marian “Mario” Marinica’s unexpected resignation in April.
However, ZIFA’s recent appointment of Ramon Catala ahead of Thursday’s AFCON 2027 qualifier against Sierra Leone paved the way for Tembo’s return to South African football.
Venda FC confirmed the Zimbabwean tactician’s arrival at their headquarters on Wednesday.
“CEO Dr Rendani Mulaudzi officially welcomed our new head coach, Kaitano Tembo, to the clubhouse this morning,” the club declared in an official statement. “The hard work starts now as Coach Tembo takes the reins and prepares the squad for the battles ahead. A massive welcome.”
The 56-year-old brings extensive technical experience to the second-tier side, having previously managed SuperSport United, Sekhukhune United, and Richards Bay FC.
During his tenure with SuperSport, Tembo guided Matsatsantsa to the 2019/20 MTN8 title at Orlando Amstel Arena, a season after finishing as runner-up to Benni McCarthy’s Cape Town City in the same competition at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Venda FC management will count heavily on Tembo’s top-flight tactical pedigree to steady the ship and steer the club away from the relegation zone.
