Absa Premiership club Free State Stars have confirmed the appointment of former Stellenbosch and University of Pretoria manager Sammy Troughton as their new head coach for the upcoming Premiership campaign. Troughton takes over from Serame Letsoaka, who lasted only six months in the job. Letsoaka had joined Stars in January, taking over from Italian coach Giovanni Solinas but was in charge of just 17 matches. Troughton left Stellenbosch despite the club finishing third in the NFD standings to qualify for the play-offs. His contract was not renewed. Stars general manager Rantsi Mokoena said the work Troughton achieved with the newly formed Cape Town-based side in the National First Division and his record of sustaining Tuks as a Premiership side during his tenure – was the deciding factor in his appointment. “The club has decided to appoint Sammy purely because he has been with the club before, he knows the culture of the club,” he said in a statement published on the club’s official website. “We decided on a local coach rather than to go abroad as we have learnt our lesson with foreign coaches that we did not do well under them. “He has done tremendously with previous clubs he has worked at. While still at Tuks, Tuks was very competitive. They were never relegated under him,” Mokoena added. “He also took Stellenbosch to the playoffs and almost got them promoted to the Premiership. “Another factor, he has worked with ‘Sly’ Mosala and I am adamant that they will do well working together.”
