Black Leopards will spend only one season in the National First Division and return to the Absa Premiership division in the 2014/5 soccer season. That will be a reality if the words of the team’s new coach, Mr Kostadin Papic, are anything to go by.

The Serbian national signed a two-year contract with the Thohoyandou outfit last Wednesday.

In an interview, the chairman of the club, Mr David Thidiela, revealed that it was not easy for him to convince Papic to enter into a two-year contract with the club. He said the former Orlando Pirates mentor wanted to sign a one-year contract with the club, but after some lengthy discussions with him he agreed to stay with them for two seasons. Thidiela said that his reason to persuade Mr Papic to sign a two-year contract was that he wanted him not only to promote the team to the Absa Premiership Division, but to lay a good foundation for the team in the elite division as well.

“ We do not want to go up there and stay for one season and get relegated to the lower division again. Life in the First Division is tough and a high-profile coach like Mr Papic does not come cheap. We are ambitious, with a goal to achieve, and therefore we had to go for the best,” said Thidiela.

Papic indicated in an interview that his mandate with the team was clear and achievable. He revealed that his mandate was to make sure that the team returned to the Absa Premiership at the end of next season.
Lidoda Duvha will resume with their normal training sessions next Tuesday, 25 June. According to Thidiela, the team will use the Tshifulanani or Makhuvha Stadium as their home ground when the activities for the new season start in two months' time.