After parting ways with head coach Kostadin Papic last Wednesday, Black Leopards are going all out searching for the right man for the job.

According to the chairman of the club, Mr David Thidiela, applications for the job started to pile up in his office shortly after news about the abrupt ending of the club’s relationship with Papic began to spread. According to Thidiela, most of the job seekers are overseas mentors.

When asked whether preference would be given to the local coaches, Thidiela said they would look for the best person, irrespective of his nationality. He refused to be drawn into divulging some of the names of the big time coaches who are interested in the job.

All he could say was “we will make an announcement soon”. Although Thidiela could not confirm it, Limpopo Mirror was reliably informed that the former Black Leopards and Chippa United head coach, Mr Vladislav Heric, is one of the foreign coaches who has shown interest in the job. Asked to comment about his possible return to the Thohoyandou side, Heric said that he was available for the job if given a chance.

When asked how Mr Papic was let go while he was still contracted to the club for 12 months, Thidiela said that there was a provision in the contract which made it possible for him to leave the club after a season if he so desired.

Papic entered into a two year contract with Lidoda Duvha at the beginning of last season. Although Thidiela stated that parting ways with Papic was a bitter pill to swallow, Thidiela insisted that keeping a person on the job against his will was as good as a “forced marriage”. He stated that he had done everything in his power to persuade Papic to stay, but in vain. He further indicated that he had finally come to terms with the Serbian’s departure, saying it was time for the club to move on.

Papic was announced as the new head coach for the newly promoted Cape Town side, Chippa United, last Thursday. Speaking from the Cape Town International Airport before flying to Serbia last Saturday morning, Papic said that Chippa United had come up with an offer which he couldn’t decline.

According to Mr Thidiela, the appointment process for the new coach will be concluded before the team resumes with their training sessions on Monday, 30 June.