Hardly two months into the job, Hollywoodbets Super League outfit, TS Galaxy Queens, has parted ways with Head Coach Ashraf Calvert, and brought back former mentor Sizwe Sibiya.
Calvert joined the Mpumalanga side before the start of the current season in February this and led them in seven matches – winning four and drawing three.
In his game in charge, they comfortably defeated JVW 2-0, before falling 3-5 to reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies.
They were able to bounce back winning two matches in a row, beating Royal AM and City Lads Ladies 2-1 and 2-0 respectively.
But it appears the cracks began showing when they were played off the park by the University of Johannesburg who claimed a 4-1 victory against the star-studded side. A 1-nil win against Durban seemed to ease tempers but the last straw was losing 1-nil at home against newcomers the University of Fort Hare this past weekend (Saturday, 20 April).
The result left The Rockets ninth on the table on 12 points – six behind log leaders Sundowns Ladies with seven games played.
Calvert masterminded the promotion of the now defunct Vasco da Gama to the Hollywoodbets Super League before the status of the team was sold to TS Galaxy.
ASHRAF CALVERT TS GALAXY RECORD:
WLWWLWL
- vs JVW (won 2-0)
- vs Sundowns Ladies (lost 3-5)
- vs ROYAL AM (won 2-1)
- vs CITY LADS LADIES (won 2-0)
- vs UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG (lost 1-4)
- vs DURBAN LADIES (won 1-0)
- vs UNIVERSITY OF FORT HARE (lost 1-0)
The club management then decided to rope in Sibiya who hit the ground running with his first training session on Monday (22 April).
Interestingly, the former Black Leopards player was relieved of his duties in January this year after leading TS Galaxy to fourth position on the table in their first season in the Hollywoodbets Super League – Sibiya had taken over from Jabulile Baloyi six games into the 2023 campaign.
Following the loss to Fort Hare, his first priority will be to gain the team’s confidence. The former TUT Ladies Head Coach will be tested in the first three games, which are all away.
Sibiya’s first assignment is against another banana peel, Lindelani Ladies, who are also in their first season in top flight football alongside the Alice-based Fort Hare.
After facing second-from bottom Lindelani Ladies in Durban (Sunday, 28 April), TS Galaxy will travel to Limpopo for a midweek date (Wednesday, 1 May) with First Touch Ladies who are 10th on the table. On Sunday, 5 May they will be back in the same province to take on the stubborn Copperbelt Ladies.
TS GALAXY QUEENS UPCOMING FIVE GAMES:
- vs Lindelani Ladies (away)
Sunday, 28 April
- vs First Touch Ladies (away)
Wednesday, 1 May
- vs Copperbelt Ladies (away)
Sunday, 5 May
- vs University of Pretoria (home)
Saturday, 11 May
- vs TUT Matsatsantsa Ladies (away)
Saturday, 18 May
Sibiya will still be assisted by former Banyana Banyana player Fikile Sithole.
By Matlhomola Morake
