Marumo Gallants are understood to be exploring the possibility of appointing Bulgarian coach Dimitar Pantev as their new head coach, according to sources close to the coach, as the club’s troubled start to the 2026/27 Betway Premiership season continues to raise questions behind the scenes.
Gallants remain winless in the league so far, picking up just two points from five matches; two draws and three defeats – leaving them anchored near the bottom of the table and adding fresh pressure on the club’s leadership just months into a wholesale rebuild of its technical and football structures.
Another Chaotic Start
It has become something of a pattern for Bahlabane Ba Ntwa: a promising off-season overhaul followed by an uneasy start once the season gets under way. This year was supposed to be different. The club brought in Phuti Mohafe as head coach from Polokwane City, alongside a refreshed backroom staff, and appointed former SuperSport United official Paul Matthews as sporting director to bring structure to football operations.
That project has now hit turbulence. Matthews, who arrived in the same off-season window as Mohafe with a mandate to professionalise the club’s football department, has since resigned from his post — a blow to a rebuild that was only a few months old. His departure leaves a vacancy at the heart of Gallants’ decision-making just as results on the pitch are going the wrong way.
Enter Pantev
Sources close to Pantev say the former Simba SC tactician has held informal discussions regarding the vacancy, or a potential move into the Gallants dugout, though no formal contact between the club and the coach has been confirmed publicly. Should talks progress, Pantev would arrive at a club searching for both stability and a change in fortunes, having managed just two points from a possible fifteen in the league so far this term.
Gallants have previously shown they are willing to act decisively when results don’t improve, having cycled through several head coaches in recent seasons. Whether patience is extended to Mohafe or the club moves toward a change remains to be seen, but the fact that a name like Pantev’s is already being discussed points to a boardroom weighing its options.
What’s Next
With the international break offering a natural pause point, all eyes will be on whether Gallants make a definitive call on their coaching setup before the Betway Premiership resumes. For now, the club has made no official statement regarding Pantev, Mohafe’s future, or a replacement for Matthews in the sporting director role.
This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.