April Phumo

{{Infobox football biography

|name = April Phumo

|image =

|caption =

|fullname =

|birth_date = 1 April 1937

|birth_place = Johannesburg, South Africa

|death_date = 27 November 2011 (aged 74)

|death_place = Bloemfontein, South Africa

|nationalyears1 =

|nationalteam1 = South Africa

|nationalcaps1 =

|nationalgoals1 =

|manageryears1 = 1979–1995

|managerclubs1 = Lesotho

|manageryears2 =

|managerclubs2 = Arsenal

|manageryears3 =

|managerclubs3 = Bloemfontein Celtic

|manageryears4 = 2001–2002

|managerclubs4 = Ria Stars

|manageryears5 =

|managerclubs5 = South Africa U20

|manageryears6 =

|managerclubs6 = South Africa U23

|manageryears7 =

|managerclubs7 = South Africa women

|manageryears8 = 2004

|managerclubs8 = South Africa

|manageryears9 =

|managerclubs9 = Nathi Lions

|manageryears10 = 2009

|managerclubs10 = United FC

|manageryears11 = 2011

|managerclubs11 = Atlie}}

April Phumo (1 April 1937 – 27 November 2011) was a South African football player and coach. He was nicknamed "Styles".

Early life

April Phumo was born in Johannesburg on 1 April 1937.{{Cite web|url=http://www.timeslive.co.za/opinion/commentary/2011/12/04/OBITUARY-Styles-Phumo-footballs-supreme-gentleman|title=TimesLIVE|website=www.timeslive.co.za|language=en|access-date=2018-06-07}}{{cite web|url=http://molaposportscentre.blogspot.com/2011/11/tribute-to-april-styles-phumo.html|title=Tribute to April 'Styles' Phumo|date=29 November 2011|publisher=Molapo Sports Centre}}

Playing career

He was a squad member of the South African national team prior to the 1966 FIFA World Cup; the team was banned from competing due to apartheid.{{cite web|url=http://www.cafonline.com/football/news/12173-former-bafana-bafana-coach-styles-phumo-died-on-sunday-after-a-lengthy-illness.html|title=Former Bafana Bafana coach Styles Phumo died on Sunday after a lengthy illness|date=30 November 2011|publisher=CAF}}

Coaching career

=Club sides=

Phumo managed Arsenal (Maseru) of Lesotho, leading them to "several league titles and an unexpected place in the last 16 of the African Champions Cup in 1990." He later managed South African club sides Ria Stars, Bloemfontein Celtic, Nathi Lions and Atlie.{{cite web|url=http://www.kickoff.com/news/25760/ria-ledwaba-pays-tribute-to-former-bafana-coach-april-styles-phumo.php|title=Ledwaba pays tribute to Phumo|date=28 November 2011|publisher=Kickoff.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.kickoff.com/news/25744/former-bafana-bafana-coach-april-styles-phumo-died-on-sunday.php|title=R.I.P. April 'Styles' Phumo|date=27 November 2011|publisher=Kickoff.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/president/news/newsid=1549215|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111130020842/http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/president/news/newsid=1549215/|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 November 2011|title=Blatter sends condolences after Phumo passing|date=28 November 2011|publisher=FIFA}}

Phumo spent a brief spell as manager of United FC during 2009, helping the club gain promotion to South Africa's National First Division.{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/1659/south-africa/2009/09/23/1518532/coach-styles-phumo-leaves-united-fc|title=Coach Styles Phumo Leaves United F.C.|date=23 September 2009|author=Peter Pedroncelli|publisher=Goal.com}}

=National sides=

Phumo was the first ever manager of the Lesotho national team.{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201111280657.html|title=South Africa: Safa Mourns the Passing of April 'Styles' Phumo|date=27 November 2011|publisher=allAfrica.com}} Phumo began coaching Lesotho in 1979 and received a FIFA coaching diploma in 1981.{{cite web|publisher=Transformation Resource Centre |title=Work For Justice: Lesotho at 40 (Issue #75) |url=http://trc.org.ls/assets/pdf/WFJ_ISSUE_75.pdf |date=October 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120427151038/http://trc.org.ls/assets/pdf/WFJ_ISSUE_75.pdf |archive-date=27 April 2012 }}{{cite web|publisher=Die Burger Laaste |author=Van der Stad, Marjolein |title=Delron wis nie Shakes is geskors |trans-title=Delron unaware Shakes is suspended |url=http://152.111.1.87/argief/berigte/dieburger/2004/01/09/DB/16LDSk/03.html |language=Afrikaans |date=9 January 2004 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425014305/http://152.111.1.87/argief/berigte/dieburger/2004/01/09/DB/16LDSk/03.html |archive-date=25 April 2012 }}

Phumo was involved with the South African men's senior team for a number of years. He was assistant to Trott Moloto and the 2000 African Cup of Nations,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/africans_abroad/2151426.stm|title=South Africa's contenders|date=25 July 2002|publisher=BBC Sport}} before a spell with Ria Stars.

In July 2002, Phumo returned as national team assistant to Ephraim Mashaba.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/2163692.stm|title=Mashaba is new SA boss|date=31 July 2002|author=Mark Gleeson|publisher=BBC Sport}} When Mashaba was sacked in January 2004, Phumo became temporary manager, taking control of the national team at the 2004 African Cup of Nations.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/3399807.stm|title=South Africa sack Mashaba|date=15 January 2004|publisher=BBC Sport}} Phumo also managed the South African men's under-20, men's under-23 and women's senior national teams.

Death

Phumo died of cancer on 27 November 2011, aged 74, at a hospital in Bloemfontein.

References

Category:1937 births

Category:2011 deaths

Category:South Africa national soccer team managers

Category:South African soccer managers

Category:Deaths from cancer in South Africa

Category:Soccer players from Johannesburg

Category:South African expatriates in Lesotho

Category:Expatriate football managers in Lesotho

Category:Lesotho national football team managers

Category:2004 African Cup of Nations managers