Fadlu Davids returns to Raja Casablanca as head coach

Fadlu Davids was confirmed as the new head coach of Moroccan giants Raja Casablanca on Monday following his departure from Tanzanian club Simba SC.

 

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The South African tactician returns to familiar grounds at a club where he developed his coaching career as an assistant under mentor Josef Zinnbauer. As a member of Zinnbauer’s staff at Raja, Davids and the club won a domestic double, the Throne Cup and Morocco’s top flight Botola Pro during the 2023-24 season. The former Maritzburg United player and coach’s arrival in Casablanca is being met with excitement by supporters after his previous stint as an assistant at the club.

Raja announced the coaching change on their social media channels with Davids set to take the place of departed coach Lassaad Chabbi:

“Based on the recommendations of the sporting director and the overall evaluation conducted by the technical committee regarding the current pre-season preparations and the first official matches, Raja Club Athletic announces the termination of its contract with Mr. Lassaad Chabbi and his technical staff.”

“Raja Club Athletic announces the appointment of Mr. Fadlu Davids as head coach of the first team. Davids was one of the main contributors to the club’s historic double in the 2023–2024 season (the Botola Pro title and the Throne Cup), where the team went undefeated. He played a decisive role during that period as an assistant coach.”

“The decision to appoint Fadlu Davids to lead Raja’s first team is based on his prior knowledge of the club, making him the right person to ensure harmony within the squad and to guide Raja Club Athletic toward achieving its sporting and institutional ambitions.”

Following Raja’s triumphant 2023-24 season, Zinnbauer left by mutual consent and Davids headed to Simba for his first head coaching job abroad. Under Davids, Simba had an up-and-down, trophyless 2024-25 season while playing second fiddle and finishing as Tanzania Mainland Premier League runners-up to eternal Dar es Salaam rivals Young Africans. However, Davids and his team impressed in the CAF Confederation Cup with a run to the final before falling to Morocco’s RS Berkane.

He previously coached Maritzburg United from 2017 to 2018, earning the title of head coach after previously coaching the club on an interim basis and helping the modest club to overachieve in South Africa’s Betway Premiership. Davids then joined Zinnbauer’s staff to assist the German at South African giants Orlando Pirates as well as Russia’s Lokomotiv Moscow and Raja.

Raja have experienced plenty of difficulties on the pitch since Davids and Zinnbauer departed. The Green Eagles finished a disappointing fifth place at the end of the 2024-25 Botola Pro season, failing to capture any trophies and also failing to qualify for CAF club competition. Raja defeated FUS Rabat in their 2025-26 Botola Pro opener before a controversial 0-0 draw last week against another Rabat club, AS FAR.

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