Van Wyk is new BA coach

FORMER Ramblers coach Tollie van Wyk has been appointed as head coach of Black Africa until the end of the premiership season in August, club chairman Boni Paulino confirmed yesterday.

Paulino told The Namibian Sport that van Wyk has expressed his willingness to join the team.
Van Wyk fills the head coach position left vacant by Ronnie Kanalelo, who served in a caretaker role.
Van Wyk confirmed that he was approached by BA and that they made him an offer.
‘They spoke to me at the weekend and I agreed that I will take up the position as I was satisfied with the offer. But we still have to meet and sort out some paperwork,’ he said.
The club yesterday confirmed his appointment though a statement.
Paulino said Van Wyk is an experienced coach and he would like to give him a contract until the end of the season, which can be renewed depending on his performance.
Van Wyk is a former Arsenal, Young Ones and Ramblers defensive stalwart.
‘We have been looking for a coach for a while now and I think it is time to settle on one now. There is a need for the technical staff to have a sense of direction and the players to know what is expected from them by having a coach to lead them,’ he said.
Kanalelo has been in charge from the start of the season, during which the team won only two of their six matches.
He was assisted by Zimbabwean national and former Friends coach Sign Nunge, who Paulino says will continue in that role if Van Wyk takes over.
‘Generally I would prefer a coach to come in with his own assistant, but so far Nunge has done okay and we will keep him,’ said Paulino.
The fans demanded Kanalelo’s head due to the poor results, but at the time, Paulino maintained that there was no one else who could lead the team as head coach and that he asked Kanalelo to voluntarily help out.
Van Wyk won the NFA Cup with Ramblers in 2005 and on several occasions came close to winning the league title before he resigned from Ramblers in 2006.
He is known for his no-nonsense approach and is a disciplinarian who strives for results, while his knowledge of the domestic game and the know-how on the quality of players speaks volumes.
Van Wyk will be expected to pull the side from their current seventh position on the log table into the top three bracket, while he will also be expected to restore the credibility of the team as Namibia’s premier cup specialists.
Black Africa lost the final of the FNB Football Festival at the weekend to Eleven Arrows and has over the past four years failed to land any major cup competition, let alone the league title in over a decade.
Van Wyk will have to move quicly and assemble some quality players to especially beef up his midfield and attack if he wants the side to be among the title contenders.
Van Wyk will be in charge of BA against Hotspurs on Friday.