Kinnah back at Stars helm again

Former Flames coaches experienced mixed fortunes in South Africa on Thursday when Free State Stars axed Tom Saintfiet and replaced him in interim capacity with his Malawian assistant Kinnah Phiri.

“Stars have mutually terminated its contract with coach Saintfiet,” Stars general manager Rantsi Mokoena told the club’s website, a day after Stars’ 5-2 loss to Esau Kanyenda’s Polokwane City. Saintfiet got the sack for poor results after three wins in 11 games.

Ironically, the arrival three months ago at Stars of the Belgian Saintfiet—Kinnah’s successor in Flames—nearly cost the Malawian’s job at the South Africa Premiership side which redeployed him to ceremonial technical director.

Then Duncan Lechesa was made Saintfiet’s assistant, but the South African resigned after barely a month, forcing Stars to recall Kinnah as deputy coach.

And now, Stars chief executive officer Mokoena announced on their website that Kinnah is back at the helm having also coached Stars in 2005 and 2007 taking them to semi-finals and fifth league place respectively.