Ahmed Parker parts ways with UCT after nine years

This comes after the club management recently published a job post for a new coach ahead of their 2026 Hollywoodbets Super League campaign.

In an exclusive interview, Parker told SABC Sport that he is aware of plans to replace him for the 2026 season, however awaits formal communication from the club.

“Yes, I can confirm that the footballer’s lab will not be continuing with UCT Women’s Football after close to a decade of involvement. To be clear, this was not a decision taken by us. UCT chose not to renew the arrangement, which is entirely within their rights.

“What was unexpected was that there was no direct engagement or discussion, particularly given that for almost ten years we followed a consistent process of end of season review and planning for the year ahead. We became aware of the decision once the head coach position was advertised. At that point, it was clear the relationship had come to an end,” said Parker.

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The 32-year-old mentor has been with UCT since 2016, and managed to lead the team

into toplight promotion from the Sasol league in 2024. He says having spent almost a decade at

the club, he had expectations of transparency and direct communication from the club

regarding not renewing his contract.

“Football environments do not always allow for continuity, and coaches understand that. What matters is communication, transparency, and respect for existing structures. Clear timelines, honest conversations, and proper closure go a long way in maintaining trust within the game.

“If we want football to grow, especially women’s football, we need governance and administrative standards to grow alongside on field performance,” added Parker.

Parker says that he is proud of his achievements in the nine-year journey with the team, and believes his contribution added something special to help grow the women’s game in the country.

“We took the programme from the Regional Women’s League all the way to the Hollywoodbets Super League. Along the way we won multiple competitions, improved our league position every season in the Sasol League, and eventually secured promotion.

“In our debut season in the Super League, we finished tenth as newcomers, which was a solid foundation to build from. Beyond results, we also produced seven junior national team players during our time at UCT. That, for me, speaks to sustainable development rather than short term success,” he expressed.

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