Caf give Zinnbauer, Hunt license waiver for one season

Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt and Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer have been give one season by Caf to comply with the Caf manual and obtain a A licence from the organisation in order to compete in the continental tournaments, with their UEFA pro license deemed only acceptable for one season.

Hunt had to wait for a last-minute decision from CAF to be allowed to sit in the Kaizer Chiefs dugout on Sunday when they played a Champions League preliminary match in Limbe, Cameroon where they beat PWD Bamenda 1-0 to carry an away goal advantage ahead of the return leg in Johannesburg next month.

Initially the Amakhosi boss was ruled to not have the necessary qualification but at the last minute he was given the green light after the Soweto giants wrote to Caf looking for a waiver.

“We received communication from CAF that this season all head coaches participating in the interclub competitions would not be allowed to sit on the bench unless they have a CAF A license,” SAFA chief executive office, Tebogo Motlanthe, told SoccerLaduma.

“This has always been part of the CAF manual, but they are enforcing it this season. But Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates then wrote to request a waiver because their coaches (Hunt and Josef Zinnbauer) comply as they have the Uefa A and Pro license, respectively. And they were then awaiting a decision from CAF.”

Motlanthe said Zinnbauer, whose Pirates side take on Sagrada Esparanca of Angola in the first round of the Confederation Cup, is also off the hook.

“The decision that has been communicated by CAF now is that, for this season, both the Chiefs and Pirates coach will be allowed to sit on the bench because of the qualifications they have. But for next season they will need to be in possession of a CAF A license,” explained the SAFA CEO to the Siya crew.

“But this does not apply to the Bloemfontein Celtic coach (John Maduka) – he will need the CAF A license.”

Maduka did not travel to the DRC, where his side beat AS Maniema 2-0 in the preliminary round of the Confederation Cup, suggesting he did not comply.

Manqoba Mngqithi, Rulani Mokwena and Steve Komphela of Sundowns have no such issues as they all possess the necessary qualifications.