News
Posted: 2 January 2023
Sundowns’ Rhulani Mokwena anticipates a tight clash against Ernst Middendorp’s Swallows “...But if there’s a coach that I frequently talk to it’s Ernst Middendorp. I spoke frequently to him during the World Cup about his observations and learnings. He’s so willing to give me information. I knew about his book even before it was released and some of the snippets, and tactical insights (on the game).” And having coached in the PSL for some time, following his debut in 2005, Middendorp is “a very good coach", one that Mokwena “learns a lot from”. Read full article here |
Published: 2 December 2022
Ein KÖNIGREICH für einen Stürmer |
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Posted: 12 February 2022
Interview with Armenia Bielefeld (German) ![]()
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Posted: 8 September 2021
Football club, NGO join forces to break new ground for good on local front Premier Soccer League (PSL) team Maritzburg United Football Club (Maritzburg) and disaster response non-governmental organisation (NGO) Gift of the Givers Foundation (Gift of the Givers) have launched a first-of-its-kind partnership as far as the PSL and Africa at large are concerned. Notably, the Maritzburg United–Gift of the Givers partnership is largely modeled around the social cohesion initiative – which was taken up in 2006 – between Spanish football giants FC Barcelona and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (the Barca-Unicef partnership). This “unique” local partnership will ensure that the Gift of the Givers’ logo will be displayed on the club’s front jersey spot, as Maritzburg United’s leading title sponsor indefinitely, Maritzburg United chairman Farook Kadodia announced on Tuesday. Read full article here |
Posted 10 January 2021
Middendorp gracious in victory after triumphant return against Chiefs at FNB Maritzburg United coach Ernst Middendorp was gracious in victory‚ saying he thought Kaizer Chiefs were disadvantaged by having to play away in Angola in the Caf Champions League ahead of their 2-0 DStv Premiership defeat to the Team of Choice on Saturday. Middendorp made a victorious return to his old home ground‚ FNB Stadium‚ where he had steered Chiefs to an unlikely run to Premiership runners-up in 2019-20‚ being painfully pipped to the post on the final day by champions Mamelodi Sundowns. Read full article here |
Posted 26 November 2020
Middendorp: Why I'm back so soon Newly appointed Maritzburg United coach Ernst Middendorp has revealed why he left Ethiopia a little over a month into the job to come back to the PSL. The German tactician joined Saint George after parting ways with Amakhosi in September and revealed why he made the decision to return to South Africa so quickly. “Sometimes you plan and something different happens," Middendorp said at his unveiling. “Some circumstances made it happen to leave Ethiopia on Monday based on the civil war happening in the north of the country.” Read full article here |
Posted 14 Oct 2020
Middendorp closing in on next move Former Kaizer Chiefs head coach Ernst Middendorp is close to joining Ethiopian Premier League giants Saint George Sports Club. Middendorp and Chiefs parted ways at the end of last season after a memorable campaign ended in heartbreak on the final day of the 2019/20 Absa Premiership season as Mamelodi Sundowns pipped them to the title. The German has not been short of suitors since departing Naturena with a host of clubs recently enquiring over his services but KickOff.com understands he's now agreed a deal in principle to join the 29-time league winners. Read full article here |
Posted 16 August 2020
Three times Middendorp’s subs made the difference As Kaizer Chiefs sit atop the PSL table with around a quarter of the season to go, one of the key factors amongst many for their dramatic and unpredictable turnaround in results this season is the tactical adaptability of coach, Ernst Middendorp. We look at some of his key tactical decisions within games this season. In Amakhosi’s first game back, the German coach got some criticism post-match for his substitutions (even though they were enforced by having three players go off with cramps) as disruption to the backline and central midfield area led to a late Bidvest Wits equaliser. However, the outspoken coach has regularly been decisive in his reading of matches to change shape within games to solve problems the opposition were causing his side, or to expose a perceived weakness in the opponents. Read full article here |
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Posted 10 June 2020
League still up for grabs but Kaizer Chiefs’ turnaround has been amazing Having endured a disastrous end to their 2018/19 domestic season after losing to second division side TS Galaxy in the final of the Nedbank Cup and finishing ninth in the Premiership, few would have predicted that Kaizer Chiefs could be on the verge of returning to the pinnacle of South African football. With eight games left before the curtain falls on the current season, Chiefs are at the summit of the Premiership standings with 48 points, four ahead of defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who have a game in hand. While their lead is far from secure, Chiefs’ return to form still deserves plaudits considering that the man at the helm is the very same person whose arrival late in 2018 ... Read full article here |
Posted 23 Feb 2020
Middendorp Deserves More Credit – Reader’s Voice I have been watching a lot of PSL games from the beginning of the season and obviously Kaizer Chiefs have been getting positive results, more than any other club in the first half of the campaign. Let us be fair now, Chiefs have been getting those results purely because the coach at the club is of a high quality, Chiefs don’t have quality players Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates have. Why are they log leaders? Coach Ernst Middendorp has been able to use the available players to their strengths for the benefit of the club. Then why is he not getting the same results? Read full article here |
Posted: 17 December 2019
Kaizer Chiefs' Middendorp wins record third straight PSL Coach of the Month award Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp won a record third Absa Premiership Coach of the Month award for November at the Premier Soccer League offices in Parktown on Tuesday. This for a month in which Premiership leaders Chiefs maintained a 100 percent win record. Chiefs began November with a 2-0 win against Chippa United at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium‚ then beat Orlando Pirates 3-2 in the Soweto derby at FNB Stadium before a 4-0 thrashing of Stellenbosch FC at Cape Town Stadium. Read full article here |
Posted: 17 December 2019
Middendorp completes unique hattrick Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp completed a unique hat-trick when he collected his third successive Absa Premiership Coach of the Month award, at a ceremony held at the Premier Soccer League Offices. The Chiefs mentor added the Absa Premiership coach of the month award for November to the awards he won for coach of the month for August as well as the joint award for September/October. Chiefs played three Absa Premiership matches in the month of November which began with a 2-0 win over Chippa United on the 6th November away from home. Amakhosi then followed it up with an enthralling 3-2 win over Orlando Pirates at the FNB Stadium on the 9th November. They rounded up their league programme in November with a 4-0 away win over Stellenbosch in Cape Town on the 27th November. Read full article here |
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. Read full article here |
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." Read full article here |
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. Read full article here |
Posted: 12 August 2019
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. Read full article here |
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..." |
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. Mosimane‚ the country's most successful club coach of the last six years‚ praised Middendorp for being “awkward”‚ “brave” and “highly tactical”. 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… Read full article here |
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. Read full article here |
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. Read full article here |
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. Read full article here |
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. Read full article here |
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." Read full article here |
Posted: 1 June 2017
Ernst Middendorp reveals he saw something special in Maritzburg United's Lebohang Maboe 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. "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'." |
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. "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." |
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. |
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... |
Posted: 23 May 2016
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... |
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... Read full article here |