Marumo Gallants FC has officially entered a high-stakes chapter in their season, appointing experienced Moroccan tactician Jamil Benouahi as head coach. Tasked with steering the club away from the relegation zone, Benouahi steps in following the departure of Alexandre Lafitte, inheriting a squad eager to break a difficult 12-match winless streak.
A Proven Tactician for the Job
Benouahi arrives in South Africa with an impressive pedigree. A UEFA Pro Licence holder, he brings a wealth of tactical knowledge from across North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Gulf region—most recently serving as head coach of Burkina Faso’s Rahimo FC. His appointment is a strategic move aimed at providing immediate defensive stability and attacking efficiency to a side that has struggled to convert potential into points.
The “Eight Finals” Strategy
Currently sitting 14th on the Betway Premiership table, Gallants find themselves in a precarious position. Despite being ahead of Orbit College on goal difference and holding a four-point cushion over bottom-placed Magesi FC, the margin for error is razor-thin.
Benouahi is treating the final stretch of the season with singular focus:
“We still have like eight games – eight finals. We go game by game, but the next two are even more important because they are against direct opponents.”
The survival campaign kicks off with a pivotal “six-pointer” against Magesi FC this Tuesday, 7 April, at 19:30.
A Culture of Hope, Not Pressure
Working alongside assistant coaches Julien Outrebon and Trevor Mathiane, Benouahi has already begun cultivating a new mentality in the dressing room. Far from being weighed down by the threat of relegation, the new manager is choosing to frame the challenge through a lens of ambition.
“There is no pressure,” Benouahi asserted. “We are driven by hope and the desire to do things very well. I believe very soon we will not look behind us, but ahead – to reach something higher.”
With a clear mandate to stabilize the team and establish a sustainable football identity, Gallants are banking on Benouahi’s previous experience in high-pressure environments to guide them through these final eight “finals.”
