PSL's best coaches of all time

The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has had its fair share of coaches come and go since its formation in 1996.

So, who are the most successful coaches in the history of the South African top-flight league?

Here are the league's most decorated tacticians.

TED DIMITRU

The late Romanian coach enjoyed a lot of success in the early years of the PSL when he guided Mamelodi Sundowns to back-to-back league titles in 1998, and 1999.

Dumitru became the first coach to successfully defend the league trophy and he also won the 1998 Bob Save Super Bowl (Nedbank Cup), and 1999 Rothmans Cup (Telkom Knockout Cup) with Sundowns.

The accomplished mentor later joined Kaizer Chiefs for his second spell with the club in 2003 and he led the Soweto giants to back-to-back Coca Cola Cup (Telkom Knockout Cup) triumphs.

Dumitru was a serial winner as he guided Chiefs to two successive league trophies between 2004 and 2005 to become the first coach to win four PSL titles.

GORDON IGESUND

The legendary coach was the first coach to win the PSL title when he led Manning Rangers to the coveted trophy during the inaugural season - 1996/97.

Igesund joined Orlando Pirates in 2000 and he won the league and cup double (PSL Title and BP Top 8) in his only season with the Soweto giants, before moving to Santos at the end of the same campaign.

The Durban-born tactician clinched the PSL title again with Santos in his first season with the club and he went on to enjoy more success with Mamelodi Sundowns lifting the league trophy and SAA Supa 8 in 2007.

Igesund joined Ted Dumitru as the two most successful coaches in the history of the PSL having won four league titles and he added the Telkom Knockout Cup to his trophy collection in 2014 while coaching SuperSport United.

GAVIN HUNT

Success has followed the 55-year-old mentor since his days with Moroka Swallows when he guided the Soweto giants to the 2004 Absa Cup (Nedbank Cup).

Hunt moved to SuperSport United in 2007 and led the Tshwane giants to three successive PSL titles between 2008, and 2010, before clinching the Nedbank Cup in 2012.

The retired defender then joined his current club Bidvest Wits where he has led the Braamfontein side to its maiden PSL title in 2017 and also won the 2016 MTN8, and 2017 Telkom Knockout Cup with the club.

Winning the league trophy with the Clever Boys made Hunt the third coach to win a record four PSL titles joining Dumitru and Igesund at the time.

"Each and every coach has taught me tactical awareness, technical and everything, but there is only one coach that I need to give thanks to: coach Gavin Hunt," Wits captain Thulani Hlatshwayo said about Hunt in 2017.

"I always say I'm a bear off the field but I'm a lion on it, because he [Hunt] awakened the beast in me; he showed me something I never thought I had, I would just like to say thanks to him.

"And I couldn't have done this thing alone (Wits Player of the Season and Player of the Season). I'd like to thank all the senior players."

PITSO MOSIMANE

The accomplished coach has enjoyed a lot of success during his 19-year coaching career which started at SuperSport United in 2001.

Mosimane led Matsatsantsa to the SAA Supa 8 and Absa Cup in 2004, and 2005 respectively as he established himself as one of the top coaches in the country.

The Kagiso-born mentor joined SuperSport's Tshwane rivals Mamelodi Sundowns in 2012 and has since guided the Masandawana to two Telkom Knockout Cups and Nedbank Cup.

Historic Caf Champions League and Caf Super Cup triumphs followed in 2016, and 2017 respectively, as Mosimane transformed Sundowns into one of the best teams on the African continent.

Mosimane became the fourth coach to win a record four PSL titles in 2019 having also led the team to the coveted trophy in 2014, 2016 and 2018.