Current issue news: August 2010 Back to previous

Celtic loss - Platinum gain

Owen da Gama in his Pirates’ days.
(Photo: www.orlandopiratesfs.com)

• Herman Toerien

Platinum Stars Football Club announced the return of Owen da Gama to take up the vacant head coach role for the upcoming 2010/11 Premier Soccer League (PSL) season.

This is a set back for Celtic, who in the previous PSL league managed again to keep in touch with the forerunners, after courting disaster in the relegation zone the previous year.

Da Gama has left his post as head coach of PSL side Bloemfontein Celtic and returned to Dinaledi on a two year contract, beginning his duties with immediate effect.

The 48 year old spent seven successful years coaching Platinum Stars between 2000 and 2007, helping them to promotion to the top flight in 2003, and then masterminding the club's victory in the 2006 Telkom Knockout competition. He left ahead of the 2007/08 season to take up the head coaching role at Soweto giants Orlando Pirates.

“I am delighted to return to Platinum Stars, a club that is very close to my heart after so many years spent here previously. I am returning to a very different club though - one that has moved base to Rustenburg and into the world-class facilities of the Bafokeng Sports Campus,” Da Gama said.