The Marumo Gallants are currently navigating a critical period, balancing a desperate fight against relegation in the Betway Premiership with severe off-field High Court legal challenges which threaten their very existence in the top-flight.
The club is facing a “double-edged sword” involving poor results on the pitch and intense High Court litigation regarding an alleged unpaid portion of the money for the purchase of their Premiership status.
Dr Abram Sello’s last-ditch effort to improve on-field affairs has seen the club appoint Moroccan coach Jamil Benouahi as their new head coach on 31 March, replacing the youthful French-born Alexander Lafitte, who was sacked following a disastrous 12-match winless streak. His firing was the culmination of an internal hearing following his suspension in February, owing to a dismal run which saw the Gallants spiral down to position 14 in the relegation zone.
Lafitte’s success in reaching the final of the Carling Cup was insufficient to save his job, despite being runner-up after losing 1 – 0 to Orlando Pirates in the final.
Trevor Mathiane was appointed as interim coach, working with assistant Julien Outrebon. Both now serve as co-assistant coaches to Benouahi. Mathiane replaced Duncan Lechesa, who has joined Black Leopards as head coach.
Benouahi will strive to emulate the remarkable feat of his countryman Abdeslam Ouaddou, who saved the Gallants from relegation and guided them to a 10th-place finish in the 2023-’24 season. He achieved this with ten league matches to spare. Despite this impressive record and expected extended stay, Ouaddou shocked the Gallants by leaving for a lucrative deal with Pirates.
The other part of the double-edged sword for the Gallants is the legal battle in the Johannesburg High Court involving Moroka Swallows. The aggrieved club approached the court due to a breach of contract, owing to non-payment of the outstanding balance from the sale of their elite franchise to Dr Abram Sello, owner of the Gallants. The parties reportedly agreed on a R40 million sale just over a year ago, of which Sello reportedly paid R20 million to purchase the Premier Soccer League (PSL) franchise.
In February, the Gallants confirmed receiving court documents relating to the legal matter filed by the aggrieved Swallows regarding an alleged breach of contract. Sello would not delve deeper into this saga, citing that the matter was already before the court. However, Sello has denied any wrongdoing regarding the sale deal.
“We won’t say much about the merits of the case. To us, we have really done our part, and we have not deviated from our original agreement. It is just about the administration of what is expected of the seller and what the parties expected, but the two must balance. Everything is still ongoing and on good terms. But if there are loose ends, we will address that in a very positive and professional way, including with the mediators,” said Sello, expressing confidence that the sale deal is not threatened.
