German tactician Ernst Middendorp's controversial decision to abandon Swallows has been lambasted as a perfect example of a symptom of appointing non-Africans as head coaches on the continent.
Middendorp has shown Swallows the proverbial middle finger just two months after taking over the helm, leaving the club languishing three points off the relegation zone.
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The veteran coach took over The Birds during the FIFA World Cup break and oversaw 10 league games, winning three, with five defeats and two draws. While also being eliminated from the Nedbank Cup.
He has now joined bottom-placed German third-tier outfit SV Meppen after cancelling his contract (which was due to run until 2026) in favour of a three-year deal back home.
Heiner Beckmann, SV Meppen's sports director has already confirmed the club had been in regular contact with Middendorp who was involved with the club from afar.
This has infuriated the South African Football Coaches Association (SAFCA).
"Perfect example of how these non-African guys feel about us here on the continent," hit out Sudesh Singh, the sports director at SAFCA.
Middendorp was due to land in Germany this morning.
"This is what you get from mercenaries coming from outside the continent in the name of coaching our clubs on the continent.
"The moment they get a phone call from back home they don't even think twice about it.
"It is unfair to the club, players, and the supporters.
"The bigger picture is that foreign coaches use African as a steppingstone, and we should have been wiser about this by now.
"We are used as a launch pad.
"Club bosses need to do research about what they want from foreign coaches coming from outside the continent.
"This is not the first time he has done this to our clubs, yet he still gets employed again and again," says Singh.
Middendorp has built a reputation of being a nomadic coach who has been with seven clubs in South Africa and has also worked in Ghana, Ethiopia on the continent while also testing the waters in Cyprus, Iran, China, and several other clubs in Germany.
He lasted just 10 weeks at Swallows after having been out of a club coaching job for six months.
"Swallows took him being unemployed and after using them to put himself on the market then decides to dump them just like that.
"Something is wrong with our system.
"This is why our mandate is to empower local coaches so that they have equal access to opportunities in the country and on the continent.
"This sad scenario is all over Africa because European coaches with dubious qualifications do this all the time.
"They are just here to build a profile, become relevant and then leave.
"Only a few are committed to the growth of African football.
"The rest are never faithful to the project.
"So that is why I'm loud about that African coaches need to be empowered to solve our football challenges on the continent.
"What is wrong with bringing with bringing another high-quality African coach to our shores because we now have a growing number.
"Al Hilal have done it with Florent Ibenge who is doing a great job as a Congolese.
"This is what we should be doing.
"Look at what Rulani (Mokwena) is doing at (Mamelodi) Sundowns in building the profile of an African coach.
"There are coaches like Rulani all over Africa who need that opportunity being given to all these coaches from outside the continent most of whom cannot even coach where they come from.
"These non-Africans are mostly here for a quick buck and what Middendorp has done to Swallows is a lesson to African clubs.
"We really need to free our minds from colonisation because for us a black man is still inferior compared the colour of the skin of the coloniser.
"SAFCA were in talks with SAFA to make it more difficult for non-African coaches to get work permits in the country in this rare skill category.
"If we can't get here locally then we should be looking on the continent before we even think about anywhere else," says Singh.
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