THOHOYANDOU – The coach of Black Leopards Football Club, Mr Walter Rautmann, is likely to part ways with the club in a matter of days. The Austrian born coach has been suspended with full pay by the team's management pending a disciplinary hearing.

Rautmann was handed a suspension letter when he returned for training on Sunday morning, after the team had been accorded a week's resting period. The team's managing director, Mr David Thidiela, confirmed that Rautmann will be summoned to appear before a disciplinary hearing within fourteen days, counting from Sunday, October 5.

Thidiela stated that the club will in the meantime be investigating Rautmann's conduct and determining the nature of the charge that is to be laid against him. Although Thidiela was not keen to reveal the coach's offence, Mirror has reliably learnt that he is likely to be charged with bringing the club into disrepute. Lidoda Duvha's differences with their coach is said to have emanated from quotes in a well-known soccer magazine, in which Rautmann accused Thidiela of interfering with his job.

Thidiela described Rautmann as a difficult man to work with. "I am sick and tired of that man; he was hired to coach the team, but instead he is destabilizing the club as a whole by causing division among the players," said Thidiela. Thidiela stated that the current assistant coach, David Byrne, will take over as the caretaker coach until they get a head coach.

Speaking from his house in Germiston on Monday evening, Rautmann said that he will only comment after briefing his legal advisors about the suspension letter. He has guided Leopards in six matches this season, winning two, drawing two and losing the same number of matches.