Belgian Luc Eymael has been unveiled as the manager of ABSA Premiership side Free States Stars on a two-year-contract.

Luc, 59, replaces Sammy Troughton who could not take a demotion and decided to leave on mutual consent.

“We trust and believe that with experience passion and work ethic he is the right person to take Free States Stars back to its winning ways,” Rantsi Mokoena, the club’s General manager said in a statement.

The Bethlehem based side are winless in the new Premiership season – losing 1-0 to Amazulu in their opener before drawing 2-2 against champions Bidvest Wits in the second outing.

The club formally announced the departure of Sammy, who joined in 2016 from University of Pretoria.

“It is however with regret that we had to terminate our contract with Coach Sammy as the mutual feeling was the two could not work together because of their different philosophies of football.”

Luc, formally with Al Nasr, Almerrikh and AFC Leopards returns to the South Africa’s topflight after leaving Polokwane City early this year.

His next assignment will against African Champions Mamelodi Sundowns over the weekend.