Paul Dolezar's dilemma

Paul Dolezar has a tough task ahead of him, that is to save Mpumalanga Black Aces from the dreaded relegation. Last season the team was in a similar situation and they only survived through the play-offs.

At the beginning of the current Absa Premiership Season, they signed over fifteen players in an effort to bolster their squad. They had high hopes and dreams of seeing themselves among the top teams in the league, unfortunately things didn't go as planned and the trigger happy management fired the coach. The experienced Neil Tovey took over the coaching reigns but he also didn't stay too long because of poor results.

Now it's Paul Dolezar's turn to try and work his magic. The coach who is famously known for his comical antics on the touchline and outrageous post-match interviews has been quick to act, signing experienced players like Benedict Vilakazi, Thabang Rooi and David Mathebula. The start of his reign as the Aces coach has been a negative one , losing two matches. Things are definately not looking good for him.

Early this week he made his intentions clear when he put fifteen players on transfer, reason being that they are not on his plans. Whether that was a good idea or not remains to be seen. He is also in negotiations with some players with the hope of signing them to help with his noble cause of saving Amazayoni from relegation. That is all well, but one simple truth in football that doesn't require rocket science to be proven is that building a team takes time. Paul Dolezar simply does not have time on his hands.

Aces made too many blunders earlier on in the season. Their first mistake was to sign too many new players, which meant they created unrealistic hopes of immediate success. When that didn't happen, the coach was fired, another big mistake and a weakness of many football bosses in this country. Neil Tovey was also showed the door before he could do anything about the team's situation, that was a huge blunder. Aces decision makers dug their own grave, now they must lie in it.

Considering the fact that Aces are at the bottom of the log at halfway mark, with a new coach and new players, I don't see them surviving relegation this time around. Paul Dolezar is a good coach but not a magician. Unless they make some drastic improvements and start getting positive results, preparing for life in the 1st Division will be their only option.

By Siphiwe Hlongwane