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Posted: 28 November 2019

Middendorp wins second coach of the Month Award
Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp has been rewarded for Amakhosi’s strong start to the 2019/20 season winning his second Absa Premiership Coach of the month award for the new campaign. He was named as the league’s top mentor for August and now managed to win the award for the best coach for September/October.
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Posted 1 October 2019

'Ernst's Chiefs adaptable, unpredictable'
Golden Arrows coach Steve Komphela has given his analysis of Kaizer Chiefs under Ernst Middendorp ahead of their clash tonight. Abafana Bes'thende travel to FNB stadium to face an Amakhosi that is currently number one on the Absa Premiership log.

"We follow them. Ernst plays different formations just like us, he's got a lot of variations. Even in a match he can change to 4-3-3, a diamond midfield, play a back-three, he can switch one player from this side to the other side," Komphela explained.

 "You have to be fresh against him, because he throws a lot of fresh dynamics. Sometimes he brings something that you never anticipated. You've got to go ready and also be ready for stuff you are not ready for."
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Posted: 12 September 2019

Middendorp pick of the coaches for August
Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp picked up the award for the Absa Premiership coach of the month for August 2019 ahead of his compatriots in the Absa Premiership as he was named as the top coach for the opening month of the 2019/20 Absa Premiership season.

Middendorp oversaw a marked turn in fortunes for Chiefs as they have made their best start to a season since the 2014-15 campaign. Chiefs went through August undefeated winning three games and drawing one league game managing at least one goal in each game. The Amakhosi collected 10 points from their four league games in August something which took Chiefs seven games to achieve in the 2018/19 season.
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Posted: 12 August 2019
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Why Kaizer Chiefs have found a winning formula
Two victories in a row have some Kaizer Chiefs fans talking of a campaign to really challenge for trophies in 2019/20. Have Chiefs found a winning formula? SABN's David Minchella takes a look.
 
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Posted: 01 August 2019

What was it like to work with Ernst Middendorp?
Herbert Mensah was the Chairman of Asante Kotoko Kumasi in Ghana who first brought Ernst Middendorp to Africa as their Head Coach in March 2000.

 "The most significant and charismatic, a little bit crazy, coach that we've ever seen in the domestic league in Ghana. He left an indelible mark on the people of Ghana. If he was coming back to Ghana today he would be worshipped as a super-hero. He built this club from bottom to top."

"He changed the way we looked at pre-season training. He changed the way in which matches were managed and read. The training regime changed. He looked for a kind of player we didn't before regard. And Kotoko then went on a massive winning streak..."

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Posted: 02 April 2019

Mosimane praises ‘awkward’‚ ‘brave’ and ‘highly tactical’ Chiefs coach Middendorp
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has professed himself an open admirer of the change Ernst Middendorp has brought to Kaizer Chiefs since he arrived at Naturena in December.
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Mosimane‚ the country's most successful club coach of the last six years‚ praised Middendorp for being “awkward”‚ “brave” and “highly tactical”.
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Middendorp‚ who replaced the muddled Giovanni Solinas in December‚ has notably tightened up Chiefs with a high degree of tactical preparation and structure and exciting speed in attack and surprising team selections that have…

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Posted: 5 May 2018

Fußball Botschafter: Kandidat Ernst Middendorp im Portrait
Von Bielefeld nach Bangkok. Aufbauarbeit als Sportdirektor bei United ist für Ernst Middendorp angesagt. Ein junger Klub aus der thailändischen Metropole mit Ambitionen, möglichst bald in der Champions League aufzutauchen. In der asiatischen. Bangkok United ist im Besitz einer Familie, die im TV-Bereich und im Internet ihr Geld macht - noch kein Vergleich mit dem traditionsreichen Tabellenführer Buriram United. Und kein Vergleich mit Bielefeld.
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Das Arbeitsamt notierte mich als Künstler
 
Den sportlichen und finanziellen Niedergang der Arminia haben sie vollumfänglich mitgemacht, aber dann auch die kurzzeitige Renaissance unter einem jungen Trainer namens Ernst Middendorp.

Der beste Trainer, den ich jemals hatte. Er war jung und unerfahren und hat sicher im Eifer des Gefechts auch Fehler gemacht, aber wie er die Mannschaft immer wieder motiviert hat, wie er das Training modernisiert hat, das war phänomenal. Da sind Lattek und Heynckes nicht mitgekommen.
 
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Posted: 30 November 2017

Bücker, Engels und Middendorp als Fußball-Botschafter 2018 nominiert
 Theo Bücker, Gert Engels und Ernst Middendorp wurden von der Jury des Deutschen Fußball Botschafter e.V. als Nominierte in der "Kategorie Trainer" und damit als mögliche Nachfolger des amtierenden Preisträgers Horst Kriete bekanntgegeben.

The German Football Ambassador Award recognizes German coaches and players for their extraordinary commitment and dedication to their work abroad. The 2018 nominees in the 'Coach of the Year' category are: Theo Bücker, Gert Engels and Ernst Middendorp.

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Posted: 6 August 2017

The Most Experienced Foreign Coaches In South Africa

With more and more foreign coaches, such as Luc Eymael and Veselin Jelusic, coming in to take over PSL teams, there are a number of foreign imports that they would like to emulate, some of the experienced stalwarts to have graced the league in recent history, with a number of coaches leaving their legacies on their respective teams over the years.

The most experienced foreign coach in the league since 2006 comes in the form of Ernst Middendorp (German), who has amassed 205 appearances in the dugout while in charge of six PSL clubs including the likes of Kaizer Chiefs, Bloemfontein Celtic and Maritzburg United.

In second place is former Orlando Pirates coach, Muhsin Ertugral (Turkish) who was also in charge of Kaizer Chiefs, Ajax Cape Town, Mpumalanga Black Aces and Golden Arrows during various spells in Mzansi. Ertugral made 168 appearances on the bench over the course of nine appearances and has made just 33 more appearances than current Bafana Bafana coach, Stuart Baxter (English), who has sat in the dugout for 135 games while in charge of Kaizer Chiefs and SuperSport United.
 
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Posted: 27 June 2017

Maritzburg United coach Fadlu Davids indebted to Ernst Middendorp

Newly appointed Maritzburg United coach Fadlu Davids says he would never be where he is today without the mentorship of Ernst Middendorp. As revealed by KickOff.com this past weekend, Davids was this morning confirmed as the club's new coach on a two-year deal with an option to renew. He will be assisted by his brother Mahier Davids and former Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Arthur Bartman will continue as goalkeeper coach. The club said they will announce the second assistant coach in the next few days.
 
Davids worked extensively with former Kaizer Chiefs coach Middendorp at Maritzburg (two stints), Bloemfontein Celtic and Chippa United.  Middendorp notably encouraged Davids to study the game and he went on to obtain the UEFA B license in Ireland. The pair drew up a five-year plan after Davids suffered an ankle injury against AmaZulu in a friendly match five years ago which curtailed his playing career.
 
While Middendorp's demeanour could rub some the wrong way, many players speak fondly of their time under the German, who is now the technical director of Bangkok United in Thailand. Davids is particularly grateful to have learnt from Middendorp.
 
"It is an honour and privilege to finally be handed this title as the head coach," said Davids after the club's chairman Farook Kadodia unveiled him to the media. "But of course Middendorp played a huge role by taking me under his wing to really open up in terms of his knowledge, not holding back, taking me to football courses.
 
"Learning from one of the best coaches to come to South Africa... I'm totally indebted to him for where I am today. A lot of it is to do with him being open, sharing his knowledge and helping me to be where I'm today."
 
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Posted: 1 June 2017 

Ernst Middendorp reveals he saw something special in Maritzburg United's Lebohang Maboe
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Former Maritzburg United coach Ernst Middendorp says he saw something special in Lebohang Maboe and has no doubt the midfielder will enjoy great success in South African football.

Middendorp, who previously brought Siyabonga Nkosi from Bloemfontein Celtic to Kaizer Chiefs, delves into the process of recognising a special talent like Maboe.
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"Selecting players is one aspect and everybody can do it based on their scoring consistency in the second division - everybody can do it. But recruiting and identifying potential that is not being used at the moment with the right coaching... that is the difficult part."

Meanwhile, Maboe expressed his gratitude towards the coach, now technical director at Thailand side Bangkok United, for giving him his break. "I really appreciate what he's done for me and I appreciate him bringing me to Maritzburg United because without him I wouldn't be where I am today. 

"I really do appreciate him. I'm still trying to find a way of thanking him and saying: 'you know what, thank you coach for the platform you gave it to me to express my talent'."
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Posted: 31 May 2017

Farook Kadodia gives Ernst Middendorp his due for laying platform at Maritzburg United
Maritzburg United chairman Farook Kadodia has given credit to the club's former coach Ernst Middendorp for playing a big role in their best ever finish in the league this season. The Team of Choice came seventh in the Premiership.

Kadodia has not forgotten that Middendorp signed and introduced many youngsters from the MultiChoice Diski Challenge team and played a mentoring role to the Davids siblings. 

"I think the important thing was the manner in which we planned our transformation of the youngsters in the team. It was the process of the last three years that we'll be building on," Kadodia told KickOff.com.
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"The MultiChoice Diski league gave us the platform to showcase these players and to give them exposure to PSL football, and that was the one side. The second part was Ernst Middendorp’s mentoring of the Davids brothers, that was a huge factor. They really learnt a lot from Middendorp and tactically the hard work they put into football really gave the results."​
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Posted: 18 May 2017

Fadlu Davids credits Ernst Middendorp for Maritzburg United's success
Maritzburg United coach Fadlu Davis paid credit to his predecessor Ernst Middendorp for laying the foundation for a possible top eight finish this season.

“The structures were put in place when we were saved from relegation on the last day in the last 10 minutes of the league last season, after which Ernst Middendorp cleared out and signed crucially experienced guys to be able to help these younger boys to shine.

  “And that is the foundation and structure that was laid and we are just continuing with those structures‚” he said.
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Posted: 2 December 2016
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Ernst Middendorp joins Bangkok United FC as Technical Director

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Posted: 21 June 2016
 
Free State Stars thank Ernst Middendorp for his achievement at the club

Free State Stars general manager Rantsi Mokoena feels last season was satisfactory for his club, and praised former coach Ernst Middendorp for his contribution during the season.

Ea Lla Koto were the first PSL club to wield the axe following three losses in their opening three matches of the 2015/16 season, Kinnah Phiri making way for German tactician Middendorp to use his experience in the Free State...
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Posted: 23 May 2016
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Maritzburg United chairman Farook Kadodia trumpets "greatest escape" from relegation

Maritzburg United chairman Farook Kadodia says his team pulled off "the greatest escape of all time" to survive relegation. United showed character to net three late goals in a come-from-behind win over Jomo Cosmos on the final day of the season on Saturday.

The result ensured the Team of Choice's top-flight status while condemning Cosmos to an immediate return to the National First Division.
"I’m humbled with the manner in which we came out of it from relegation… this is the greatest escape of all time," says Kadodia...
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Posted: 12 May 2016

Middendorp believes in Maritzburg survival

Maritzburg United coach Ernst Middendorp never doubted his teams’ ability, insisting that he always know they would fight until the death to retain their Absa Premiership status.

The Team of Choice climbed off the bottom of the table for the first since the early part of the season when they claimed a priceless 1-0 win over Ajax Cape Town in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday.
They will now need to win their match of the season away at follow strugglers Jomo Cosmos to claim one of the greatest escapes in Premier Soccer League history...

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© Ernst Middendorp 2014