Mr Vladislav Heric is the new head coach for Black Leopards. His appointment took effect last Monday, 24 October.

This was confirmed by the club’s chairman, Mr David Thidiela. Thidiela revealed that the decision to appoint Heric was reached after the team’s head coach, Mr Sunday Chidzambwa, indicated to him that he was running out of ideas. Although Thidiela persuaded Mr Chidzambwa not to part ways with the club, he went on appointing Heric as the team’s head coach.

In an interview, Thidiela indicated that they would deploy Mr Chidzambwa to another strategic post within the club. Heric was one of the technical team which watched helplessly as Leopards lost 1-5 to Mamelodi Sundowns at the Loftus Stadium in Pretoria last Sunday afternoon.

Speaking to Limpopo Mirror early this week, Heric said that he had been given a mandate to pull the team from the relegation quagmire. Lidoda Duvha are currently languishing in the second last spot on the log, with only two points ahead of Jomo Cosmos. When asked whether it would be possible for him to save the team from possible relegation, Heric said that they still had 20 league matches to play and that it was still too early to talk about relegation.

He revealed that he will continue to work with Chidzambwa and the current assistant coach, Mr Abel Makhubele, in the technical department for the time being.

Heric is not a new name in the Black Leopards’ camp. He guided the team for one and half season, before leaving at the beginning of last season. During his stay with Leopards, the Serbian-born mentor managed to win the league title but the team failed to make the grade in the promotional play-off matches. Heric said that he would beef up his current squad with experienced players in order for the team to be on par with the so-called big guns.

Leopards have won only one of the nine matches they have played to date (Wednesday's match against Free State Stars not included).