Jerry Tshabalala says although he will always hold Mamelodi Sundowns dear in his heart, it is now a closed chapter, and he has moved on.
The former Brazilians Ladies Team mentor was recently unveiled in Morocco as the Head Coach of Sporting Club Casablanca which competes in the Premier Division of the National Women’s Football League (LNFF) also known as the Moroccan Women’s Championship.
Tshabalala was placed on suspension in December last year by Mamelodi Sundowns on allegations of sexual misconduct while the club was investigating. To date, there has been no word from Chloorkop on the saga.
In an exclusive interview in Casablanca with the man also known as Kappa, he refrained from talking about the matter, but could only say:
“That period hurt me a lot, the first six months of 2025 were a living hell, I had lost the love for the game. But I have found happiness again, I have found my mojo once more and a big thanks to SC Casablanca for showing faith and belief in me. The Sundowns chapter is closed, and I have moved on,” said Tshabalala.
He spent 12 years at Chloorkop where he won a record five SAFA National Women’s Football League titles (now known as the Hollywoodbets Super League), lifted the CAF Women’s Champions League and the COSAFA Women’s Champions League each twice, and was named the Hollywoodbets Super League Coach of the Year on three occasions (2021, 2022, 2024).
Tshabalala joins a team that is very ambitious and finished second in the CAF Women’s Champions League behind Mamelodi Sundowns in 2023.
In the domestic league, SC Casablanca ended 2nd last season.
By coaching outside the country, Tshabalala follows in the footsteps of other South Africans like Fadlu Davids (Tanzania), Rhulani Mokoena (Algeria), Cheryl Botes (Uganda), Benni McCarthy (Kenya) and Shilene Booysen (recently returned from Egypt).
The Moroccan Women’s League season kicks off in September.
How did the move come about?
I’ve been in contact with my agent Ahmed Said from Egypt. There were few offers on the table – from Zambia, Jordan, Tanzania and here in Morocco – and when he looked at all of them, he felt that the most possible one for a new challenge would be Morocco. When we sat down and looked at the offers, I also leaned towards Sporting Club Casablanca because it’s a team that I know very well. I’ve seen what they are capable of, a very ambitious team that one can see that they want to go to greater heights and achieve more things in terms of promoting women’s football in Morocco. It’s a new challenge and I am excited to be here.
What are you looking forward to in this venture?
One has been working in South Africa for more than a decade, I think it’s a good challenge for me coaching wise, to see how far I am when I compare myself with other coaches from different countries. So, that alone is a challenge that I’m willing to take and see if this can maybe one day open doors not only for me, but even for some of the other coaches who want to come to Morocco or coaches who want to go even beyond Morocco. But this is a challenge I am accepting and willing to challenge myself with.
Being an ambassador for South Africa in North Africa, how much pressure is there to do well?
Pressure is always there, it doesn’t matter where you are working, as a coach, as a leader, the pressure will always be there. Even back at home pressure was there for me as a coach to achieve, also here in Morocco the pressure is still there for me to achieve. I believe it is my duty to see to it that I raise the flag of South Africa very high, taking into consideration the fact that Sporting Club Casablanca has given me this opportunity to work with them. They are also expecting a lot from me because of what I’ve achieved with my previous employer. So, I think I’m under massive pressure, but you know they always say you won’t find a diamond if there’s no pressure. I’m hoping that I’ll be that diamond that will come out of that pressure.
What is your first priority with this club now that the league is in recess?
First of all, for me it’s very exciting to see the support that I get from the Sporting Club Casablanca management, they have been behind me from day one when we agreed terms. The first thing is to meet with the players as I haven’t met them as yet, and I outline my vision to them and get to share the same vision so that we can make things a little bit easier for ourselves. One thing that I believe in is if you’ve got the support of the players and the backing of management, that is great as I think we can be able to achieve our vision.
Having said that, what for you will be an achievement at the end of the season?
I always believe in winning. It’s not an ultimatum for me but the greatest achievement is to see some improvement on the log position from last season, they also reached the final of the Throne Cup. So, if we could do better in terms of those results by winning the league and the cup competition, that for me that would be a great achievement because I’m one person who really believes in winning. I always aim high, I don’t want to aim low so that when I fall, I know that I fell on something which is not too bad.
What are your plans regarding the technical team?
I’m very fortunate, I may be here all alone but with the support of the president of the club and the board members, I have been allowed to choose my own technical team, even though they will all be local (Morocco). But I think it’s very important for me to have interviews with each and every one who’s going to be part of the technical team so that I can have that choice to say I think this one is going to help me a lot or not. So that alone made things easier for me, and I really appreciate the support from the board members and the President of the club.
Back in Morocco in a different capacity – the last time out you were the coach Sundowns Ladies in the CAF Women’s Champions League.
It’s good to be back, it’s very exciting, it’s another home from away from home. I treat it like my second home as I find it very welcoming. The people of Morocco also welcomed me with both arms, and you can tell that the people of Casablanca support this club. If you go to my socials, I’ve never had so many followers in one day. I believe they want to show me that I’m welcome in Morocco and they support me, and that is something that’s really motivates me to say I must work hard.
With the CAF Women’s Champions League coming up, have you thought that far that there could be a possibility of meeting Sundowns Ladies?
Right now, my focus on my team, Sporting Club Casablanca. For now, we have to achieve what we want to achieve with the club, and we don’t want to focus on other people. I would like to close that chapter of Mamelodi Sundowns, it’s a chapter that is done. The focus now for me is Sporting club Casablanca, my priority is Sporting Club Casablanca.
What will you miss the most about Mamelodi Sundowns?
Mamelodi Sundowns will always be home. I will miss the culture, the players more, the technical team, the ladies from the kitchen who used to make me tea, Tshidi and Doris, those were the people that made one’s stay exciting at Chloorkop. I will also miss the security guys at the gate who were always ready for a chat, especially after a match. There is also Boniface Motsepe who was my number on supporter and always hammered us when we didn’t do well. Those are the small but very significant things that you miss back at home. But other than that, one is happy to be here and ready for the new challenge.
Jerry Tshabalala Honours:
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies:
Runner-up: 2022
Runner-up: 2022
Winner: 2019-20, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Winner: 2013, 2015
- Joburg Basadi Football Challenge:
Winner: 2023
Individual:
- SAFA Women’s League Coach of the Year:
Coach of the Tournament: 2015
- IFFHS Women’s World Best Club Coach 2023:
8th
Sporting Casablanca Fact File:
- Based in Casablanca, Morocco
- Competes in the LNFF
- Play their matches at the 3000-seater Ba Mohammed Stadium in
- Founded in 2019
- Achieved promotion to the Premier Division two years later (2021-22)
- Reached final of the Throne Cup for the first time in 2023
- Also featured in the CAF Women’s Champions League in 2023 (finishing 2nd to Sundowns Ladies)
- First ever nomination in the 2023 CAF Best African Club of the Year
Honours:
Runner-up (2): 2023, 2024
Runner-up (1): 2023
- Moroccan Women’s Championship D2
Winners (1): 2021
Continental
Runner-up (1): 2023
Winners (1): 2023
By Matlhomola Morake
