Background
April Phumo was born in Johannesburg, in 1937.
April Phumo was born in Johannesburg, in 1937.
He was nicknamed "Styles."
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. Phumo spent a brief spell as manager of United Football Club during 2009, helping the club gain promotion to South Africa"s National First Division. National sides
Phumo was the first ever manager of the Lesotho national team
Phumo began coaching Lesotho in 1979 and received a Fédération internationale de football association coaching diploma in 1981.
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, before a spell with Ria Stars.
In July 2002, Phumo returned as national team assistant to Ephraim Mashaba. When Mashaba was sacked in January 2004, Phumo became temporary manager, taking control of the national team at the 2004 African Cup of Nations.
Phumo also managed the South African men"s under-20, men"s under-23 and women"s senior national teams.
Phumo died of cancer on 27 November 2011, aged 74, at a hospital in Bloemfontein.
He was a squad member of the South African national team prior to the 1966 Fédération internationale de football association World Cup. The team was banned from competing due to apartheid.