Moloi throws himself in at the deep end

JOHANNESBURG: Teboho Moloi’s new role at Chippa United is far from an ideal launch pad for a coaching career in the Premier Soccer League, but it should be applauded nonetheless. Now 49-years-old, Moloi has been too long in the shadows of former Orlando Pirates coaches, where he had several stints as an assistant and even as caretaker at some point.

He and Doctor Khumalo, a man he was often compared to in terms of stature and skill while the two were both still playing – Moloi for Pirates and Khumalo at Kaizer Chiefs – were widely criticised for not taking risks and testing themselves as coaches.

Khumalo most recently took the unexpected route of becoming a technical director when he was offered that role at Baroka FC, ending his lengthy relationship with Amakhosi, which was said to be rocky towards the end.

Apparently Khumalo was a mere ornament in Naturena after he was demoted from his position as assistant coach to Steve Komphela last year.

Moloi, on the other hand, has gone straight into the kitchen and faced the heat head-on by taking the Chippa coaching job, albeit temporarily and with the odds heavily stacked against him, given chairman Siviwe ‘Chippa’ Mpengesi’s trigger-happy ways.

Moloi is a beneficiary of yet another sacking at the club following the dismissal of Dan Malesela last week – just three matches into the campaign. He was initially brought in prior to the start of the season to be Malesela’s second-in-command, but it turns out the two, who shared a dressing room at Pirates in the 90s, didn’t quite see eye to eye. It was then, perhaps, that Mpengesi saw a future Chippa coach in Moloi, who was immediately announced as an interim replacement when Malesela was given the boot.

Moloi, who’d been comfortable growing a grey beard and enjoying his screen time as a TV pundit for SuperSport, has completely stepped out of his comfort zone.

He now has an opportunity to prove to his detractors that all the years spent as an assistant to Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic, Roger de Sa and then Eric Tinkler at Pirates was not because he was a charity case.

It’s believed he was highly influential at Pirates and often tried to bridge any gaps between the players and the head coach. That’s invaluable experience, if true. And there is no better time than now to build on that and maybe go on to make a name for himself in a role he has always desired, but never brave enough to pursue.

The fact he accepted the job proves that he backs himself to finally come out of a safe zone and into an environment that’s known to be extremely harsh when results aren’t going your way – and Mpengesi will be a constant nag if Moloi slacks off now and again. He might even sack him at the first sign that he’s incompetent.

This new journey for Moloi would unsettle a few of the higher profile coaches, but it was about time he got his hands dirty.