Tanzanian powerhouse Simba SC has announced Steve Barker as the club’s new head coach following the departure of Dimitar Pantev.
The club unveiled the 57-year-old tactician on its social media platforms on Friday, but Stellenbosch is yet to acknowledge the departure of its long-serving coach.
Pantev took over at Simba from Fadlu Davids, who guided the club to the CAF Confederations Cup final last season before departing for Raja Casablanca in September.
The Bulgarian tactician lasted only 61 days at the club.
Simba sit fifth in the Tanzanian Premier League, with 12 points from four wins and one loss. The club has struggled in continental competition, and is bottom of group D in the CAF Champions League with two losses from two games.
Barker, who previously managed Tuks, Mpumalanga Black Aces and AmaZulu, joined the newly formed Stellenbosch at the start of the 2017/18 season, earning promotion from the Motsepe Foundation Championship to the Betway Premiership the following season.
At the helm, he guided the Maroons to the Carling Knockout title in the 23/24 season, two consecutive MTN8 final appearances (2024/25 and 2025/26), two consecutive third-place finishes in the Betway Premiership, and the semi-finals of the CAF Confederations Cup in the club’s continental debut (2024/25).
During Barker’s tenure at the Cape Winelands club, the coach has continuously seen the club’s top talent depart to join other South African clubs.
This season, the Maroons have struggled and sit in 14th place in the league, one point above the relegation zone. The club has managed only three wins and three draws while suffering eight losses.
