Former Orlando Pirates co-coach Fadlu Davids has reunited with another ex-Bucs head coach Josef Zinnbauer in North Africa.
Davids has penned a deal with Moroccan giants Raja Casablanca after parting ways with Maritzburg United.
On Sunday, just before midnight, Raja announced the arrival of Davids, who joins the club as an assistant coach.
Davids will once again serve as Josef Zinnbauer’s assistant coach. The German coach was unveiled Raja’s head coach about three weeks ago.
“Let’s all welcome our new coach assistant who just joined the team, Fadlu Davids,” Raja confirmed in a brief statement.
The 42-year-old tactician has already met the club’s management and began his tenure as an assistant coach. He was seen running a training session along with coach Zinnbauer in Casablanca on Sunday.
OTHER SOCCER NEWS:Fadlu Davids nears reunion with Josef Zinnbauer in North Africa
DAVIDS JOINS ZINNBAUER AT RAJA
Davids has proven to be Zinnbauer’s trusted soldier as this is the third time he serves as the German coach’s assistant.
The ex-Maritzburg coach was Zinnbauer’s assistant at Pirates before the German left the Soweto giants at the start of the 2021/22 Premier Soccer League (PSL) season and was replaced by co-head coaches Davids and Mandla Ncikazi, his then-assistants.
A year later, Davids was released by Pirates and joined Zinnbauer at Russian giants Lokomotiv Moscow. However, the duo’s stay in Russia was cut short following a string of poor results.
Davids returned to South Africa to join Maritzburg midway through the 2022/23 season. He failed to help the club avoid the relegation axe as The Team of Choice dropped to the Motsepe Foundation Championship after losing to Cape Town Spurs in the PSL relegation/promotion playoffs earlier this month.
As a result, Davids was shown the exit door by the KwaZulu-Natal side. But the coach at the time was already negotiating with Raja.
Raja has since employed Davids to help Zinnbauer turn the club’s fortunes around. The Moroccan side had a poor 2022/23 season. They finished fifth in the Botola Pro League. Zinnbauer was in charge of four matches and managed to collect eight points.
In addition, they were knockout in the CAF Champions League quarter-finals by eventual winners Al Ahly.
However, the three-time Champions League winners still have a chance to salvage their season under Zinnbauer and Davids. They are in the semi-finals of The Throne Cup and will participate in the Arab Club Champions Cup.