Silver Strikers coach Pieter de Jongh has said he is unmoved with speculation surrounding his future ahead of the 2024 season.
The Dutchman is under heavy scrutiny after failing to guide Silver to any silverware in the just-ended season, having signed a performance-based contract with the club.
However, in an interview Thursday, de Jongh, also known as The Champs, said he will not lose focus with speculation about his future.
“Some people say I am a difficult person, but I am very professional. I have a good relationship with the players, technical staff and the fans at Silver, so I will be happy to continue with the project,” he said.
De Jongh has two years remaining on his contract with Silver, but several coaches have been linked with his job ahead of the 2024 season.
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The former Highlanders FC and Black Leopards coach said he already has three offers in Morocco, Ethiopia and Botswana.
“I turned Silver into a professional club. I am a top coach and ask Silver players, they will tell you what I have done in my first year. To be honest, what the players did was a miracle,” he said.
Despite failing to meet his targets, de Jongh guided Silver to second position in the TNM Super League with 57 points, three points behind champions FCB Nyasa Big Bullets.
On top of that, Silver reached the Castel Challenge Cup final in which they lost 4-2 on post-match penalties to Bullets after a 1-1 stalemate in regulation time.
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Silver Chief Executive Officer Patrick Chimimba said the club is still assessing and evaluating the performance of the Dutchman in his first season.
“It is a routine exercise in employment matters along the performance appraisal system. It should be appreciated that the head coach signed a contract agreement with Silver Strikers Company and terms and key performance indicators there include the need for performance evaluation at the end of the football season,” Chimimba said.
De Jongh joined Silver in February last year as a replacement for Zambian Daniel Kabwe.
Silver have already unveiled one signing namely striker Christopher Gototo in preparation for the 2024 season.
Defender Macdonald Lameck and striker Charles Chipala are also on the verge of joining the club.
