Van der Pluijm: Experienced coach tops Yanga SC’s list to succeed Eymael

Yanga SC have prioritised the appointment of Hans van der Pluijm as Luc Eymael replacement as the club's head coach.

A close source within the club has told Goal the Tanzanian club are set to make a quick appointment after sacking Eymael for what they termed as racist comments.

Van der Pluijm was Timu Ya Mwananchi’s coach between 2017 and 2018 and the club’s top hierarchy have listed him as the best viable option to take over.

“You know Van der Pluijm has been with the club before and given the tight programme the club is expecting to have in the immediate future, Yanga would contact him soon and see if he is ready for the job,” the source told Goal.

Eymael’s stint at Yanga has been characterised with friction with the players and the club's senior management.

The former coach criticised players like Gnamien Yikpe who arrived at the club almost at the same time with him early in the year. He has been open that the Ivorian star was not part of his plans going forward given what he believed as below-par performance.

Defender Andrew ‘Dante’ Vincent, who was signed from Mtibwa Sugar three seasons ago, was also relegated from the first team by the Belgian coach who had confirmed he was not keen to retain him once his contract ends.

The former Free State Stars and Black Leopards coach has also not been keen to give Kenyan goalkeeper Farouk Shikalo playing time in key games for what has been termed as ‘lack of trust in him’ by various soccer pundits in Tanzania.

Bernard Morrison, who immediately became a darling to the fans due to his strike against Simba SC on March 8, has had a turbulent relationship with the management recently under the coach.

The former Polokwane City’s coach also criticised Yanga management before the league resumed after coronavirus lockdown saying they were not keen to help him travel from Belgium and join the players for preparations.

Although Eymael managed Yanga to a second-place finish in the league, a 4-1 loss against Simba SC in the FA Cup semi-final match on July 12, was a big blow to confidence in the coach's abilities.

Yanga might still get a Champions League slot should Caf move to strip Libya of its place and that is why the club prioritised finishing second after elimination from the FA Cup tournament.

Van der Pluijm is a Dutch coach with massive experience in African football as he has been in charge of more than 10 teams across the continent.

He was at Heart of Lions between 2003 and 2004 before joining Saint George of Ethiopia for one year after he left the Ghanaian side.

He did not last at the Ethiopian club as he exited in 2005 for Gold Fields where he remained for one year too. Between 2006 to 2014 the 71-year-old coach served different Ghanaian teams that included Heart of Lions again, Red Bull Soccer Academy, Kessben FC, Berekum Chelsea and Medeama SC.

He was appointed by Yanga in 2017 and lasted until 2018 where he lost just four matches in the 57 games he oversaw, although it wasn't enough to win the league as arch-rivals Simba lifted the trophy.

Van der Pluijm has also had coaching spells at Azam FC and Singida United in Tanzania.