Mamelodi Sundowns set to appoint Sinethemba Badela in youth role

SABC Sport has established that Badela has been in talks with the Brazilians for several weeks now regarding the role having initially been approached by Chippa United to be part of their technical team. 

Badela spent the 2022/23 season at the helm of All Stars FC in the Motsepe Foundation Championship, but the second tier franchise has since been sold to Black Leopards and relocated. 

Stars moved from Cape Town to Johannesburg with chairman Lunga Ncwana hoping the decision would help them in their dream to gain promotion to the DStv Premiership the following year. 

They, however, ended in fourth place and missed out on their target, promoting the businessman to fold and put the club up for sale. 

It was Chippa who came knocking first with a proposal to have Badela, Kwanele Kopo and Morgan Mamilla as a trio of coaches. 

Considering Badela is still only 33 and seen in local football as one for the future, Sundowns moved quickly to lock him and are set to hire him as their Diski Challenge coach as soon as all the paperwork is over the line. 

The Tshwane side were led by former player and legend Surprise Moriri in the reserve league last season, where they ended in fifth place after 40 games and are now expected to make changes. 

Badela’s imminent appointment means he will also work closely with senior men’s head coach Rulani Mokwena, who also has a background as a development mentor and has been an advocate of promoting from the academy.