After weeks of speculation, Black Leopards have finally appointed the team’s new head coach. The man who will be guiding Lidoda Duvha technically, landed at the Polokwane Gateway International Airport on Sunday afternoon.

Among the people who welcomed the 44-year-old Marino Marinica at the airport was the MEC for Safety and Security in this province, Mrs Dikeledi Magadzi. Magadzi is a member of the management for the Thohoyandou outfit.

The managing director of the team, Mr David Thidiela, said that they had appointed the right man to the job. He indicated that they had found a good replacement for their former coach, Vladislav Heric, who left the club last month.

A quick glance at Marinica’s track record shows that the Romanian resident is no ordinary coach, but a real football guru. Marinica was, until recently, the interim manager of the Romanian Premier Division side, FC Gloria Buzau. Some of the teams he coached in Romania include Sporful Studentesc, FC Gloria Buzau, Arges Pitesti, Rocar Bucuresti and Climentul Fieni.

His coaching career stretched to England, where he coached teams like Crystal Palace and Arsenal Youth Academies, as well as Leyton Orient’s School of Excellence. During the 2006 Fifa World Cup, Marinica assisted the Paraguayan national team by providing technical analysis of their group rivals, England, Sweden and Trinidad and Tobago.

Marinica holds an UEFA Pro-License, which is the highest football coaching qualification. He will be assisted a highly respected South African coach, Mr Innocent Mayoyo. Mayoyoy was the head coach of Winners Park until the end of last season.

Black Leopards will resume with their training session next Tuesday, June 23.