Nobody knows how Romain Folz lands big coaching gigs in South Africa and beyond despite not winning significant silverware. On average, he lasts five months on the job in the PSL. Yet it appears the more he is sacked, the more he bounces back.
The French-Moroccan was a surprise addition to then Mamelodi Sundowns’ head coach Manqoba Mngqithi’s backroom staff after Rhulani Mokwena’s acrimonious exit months ago.
Five months later Folz has been sacked alongside Mngqithi at Sundowns, the 34-year-old’s third club in South Africa within two years.
“Mamelodi Sundowns is also thankful to Romain Folz who recently joined the club,” a statement from the Pretoria-based club reads. Folz arrived in the Rainbow Nation in June 2022 to manage Marumo Gallants FC with a big reputation as a great tactician. Before that, Folz’s last job was with Township Rollers in Botswana.
The former Uganda’s Cranes assistant trainer lasted five months at Gallants before leaving in an acrimonious manner. AmaZulu, desperate to get Benni McCarthy’s replacement, jumped at the opportunity to get Folz on board in October 2022.
AmaZulu owner Sandile Zungu praised then the youngest coach in the PSL as “a great tactician and he is known as someone who has got a great analytical mind.”
Video: Romain Folz is welcomed to AmaZulu and given a Zulu name
However, Usuthu waited between October 2022 and April 2023 for the youthful coach to translate his huge potential into results. Nothing much happened.
Having lost patience, the Durban-based side pushed the UEFA-Pro-Licence holder upstairs to serve as technical director, a largely peripheral role in African football.
Five months later, the baby-faced coach left AmaZulu for Guinea where Horoya AC thought they had a big catch. He lasted barely two months in Conakry as the results were not good enough. Somehow, the lucky man convinced Arsene Wenger to offer him a job at FIFA High-Performance Department.
A few months later, Folz, despite having not won any substantial silverware in Africa, earned a job in South Africa. This time around at Sundowns to serve as Mngqithi’s deputy alongside Steve Komphela.
Folz has since been shown the exit door while Komphela has survived.
Do not be surprised to see Folz earning yet another big PSL job even before Mngithi does.
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