Mohafe says Marumo Gallants dismissal came too early after five-game winless start

Phuti Mohafe believes Marumo Gallants acted prematurely by dismissing him after five matches of the 2026/27 season, insisting the team had begun to show signs of improvement.

Mohafe and his assistant Musa Bilankulu left the club on Wednesday following a difficult opening to the campaign, with Gallants still without a win after two draws and three defeats.

The results left the side 14th in the Betway Premiership with two points. Mohafe had taken charge at the start of the season after once again guiding Polokwane City to the MTN8.

Speaking exclusively to KickOff, the soft-spoken coach said he felt he was beginning to make progress when the decision was taken.

“I think the trigger was pulled too early because, judging by the way the team was starting to play, there were a lot of improvements,” Mohafe said.

He revealed that he had discussed the situation with Gallants chairman Dr. Abram Sello, whose concerns were linked to the club’s previous struggles.

“I went to the chairman [Dr. Abram Sello] at his office. We sat down about it, we discussed, but his fear was about where the team comes from or has been in the past. He thought we were taking the same route.

“That was his feeling.

“At the end of the day, we had to agree to disagree, but we ended up agreeing on the termination.”

Mohafe said the short run of fixtures did not provide enough time to judge a coach working to establish a new approach, particularly at a club where he had to combine his own ideas with those already in place.

“I don’t think five games is fair enough for coaches, unless you find a team that is well established like Orlando Pirates, who are winning, and you arrive there as a coach and you start losing games,” he said.

“At Gallants, I had to implement my strategies.

“I had to bring up my own philosophy and integrate it with the team’s philosophies. And when the team was starting to gel, I departed.”

The former Gallants manager added that building a team required patience, arguing that five matches could not realistically complete the process of transition.

“Five games is not enough for a transition,” Mohafe said.

He is now looking for his next opportunity in the elite division after his brief spell with Marumo Gallants came to an end.