Kruger United back Mongoya despite winless start and heavy Orlando Pirates defeat

Kruger United are not planning an immediate change to their technical team despite Tuesday’s 4-0 defeat by Orlando Pirates, with head coach Abram Mongoya retaining the backing of the club’s management.

The loss to the Buccaneers extended Kruger’s winless start to five matches since their promotion to the Betway Premiership. The Bushbuckridge-based side have taken only one point from a possible 15, with four defeats and one draw leaving them bottom of the table.

They have also struggled to score, finding the net just twice so far this season.

Mongoya is facing one of the biggest challenges of his coaching career after leading Kruger United to promotion from the Motsepe Foundation Championship. The step up to the top flight has proved difficult, with the newly promoted club yet to register a victory.

However, sources close to the club have indicated that management is not rushing to make changes. Although there is concern about the results, Mongoya remains in charge and has been given more time to help his players adjust to the demands of the division.

“There are concerns because of the results, of course, but the coach is still being supported at this stage,” the source said.

Mongoya struck an optimistic tone after the defeat by Orlando Pirates, insisting that Kruger had shown signs of improvement despite the scoreline and their lack of results.

The coach believes his team can become more competitive once the squad has had enough time to adapt to the pace and intensity of the Betway Premiership. At the same time, the club is understood to recognise that waiting until the eighth or 10th match of the campaign for a revival could carry significant risks.

The source said Mongoya’s contribution to the club’s promotion was an important factor in the decision to continue supporting him, while also acknowledging that results will ultimately determine his future.

“He is the one who helped take the team to the Premiership and management understands that this is a completely different level. They don’t want to panic and make decisions too quickly. But football changes very quickly and results will always determine what happens. The next few matches will obviously be very important,” the source added.

Kruger’s next opportunity to begin turning around their season comes on 13 September, when they face TS Galaxy in a crucial Mpumalanga derby at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.

The match against the Rockets will be important as Kruger attempt to move away from the bottom of the Betway Premiership standings and claim their first win of the campaign. It could also have a substantial bearing on how long Mongoya continues to receive the patience of the club hierarchy.

For now, management has chosen stability rather than an early managerial change. But with Kruger still without a victory after five matches and having scored only twice, the pressure on Mongoya is likely to increase if results do not improve soon.

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