Following their promotion to the ABC Motsepe League Division at the end of last season, United Artists Football Club confirmed the appointment of Mr Tsumbedzo "Zoo" Manamela to the position of the team's head coach. Manamela was the caretaker coach for the team during their promotional play-offs campaign.
When asked to shed some light regarding his short- and long-term plans for the team, Manamela indicated that his mandate was to ensure that the team complete their first season in a respectable position on the log standings. The club's management made clear that they did not want to see the team fighting for survival towards the end of the season.
Manamela said that some of his long-term goals included promoting the team to the National First Division at the end of next season. He also believes that their set goals are achievable under the current circumstances.
United Artists will retain the majority of the players who were part of the team that did the Vhembe Region proud in the provincial promotional playoffs. Manamela said that they were busy assessing a number of experienced players with the aim of offering some of them employment contracts.
When asked about the departments they were intending to beef up, the former head coach of Ablex United FC said that their target was to acquire the services of four experienced players, which included a left back and two strikers, before the league activities for the new season started over the third weekend of next month.
Zoo, as he was called during his days as a soccer player, is fast becoming a promotion specialist. He was the brain behind the promotion of Vondwe XI Bullets FC from the SAB League to the ABC Motsepe Division last season. After coaching Bullets in their first five matches in the ABC Motsepe League, Manamela then migrated to the other ABC Motsepe League side, Ablex United FC, following a job offer from the club that he said was difficult for him to decline.
The new players will be put to the test in their preliminary-round match of the Nedbank Cup Competition that will be played on Saturday, 10 September.