Coaches I’ve worked with: We’re losing out on their expertise

Things have a way of happening for a reason. You find yourself surrounded by people who will take your career to another level, without any one of you knowing it. When I look back, I recall the day the first-ever Bafana Bafana team was called up and my name was not in the team. I didn’t make the late coach Jeff Butler’s team – may his soul rest in peace – but God does things His own way. It so happened that I was part of the NSL XI, selected by this gentleman, Grootman and a Father-figure, Bra Shakes Mashaba, together with Terry Paine. We played Bafana at FNB Stadium and the reason I want to talk about Bra Shakes is to give him his flowers while he can still smell them. He is one of the coaches who have made their mark and done a tremendous job in South African football. This man coached a number of youngsters who went through the ranks and became some of the biggest names in football. He surpassed expectations and even qualified us for the Olympics. I mean, everyone knows what this man has done for our football. There is this picture of him when he was still playing for Orlando Pirates that I always admired. As a youngster, I used to be so scared of him because he always looked so serious and focused. He was big, strong and really tough. I kept on wondering how the strikers found playing against him. In the picture, it looks like he’s shouting instructions to someone and that picture is stuck in my mind to this day. I had no idea he would, one day, be the one dishing out instructions to me. A lot of players who have been through him will attest to the fact that Bra Shakes is a motivator and a disciplinarian. He’s someone who will sit you down and tell you, “This is how I want this done and this is what you are good at. So, go out there and do it.” When you look at all the players he’s coached, especially from the junior national teams, most of them went on to represent the country in Europe and left a big mark. From being ‘on the other side of the fence’ in the national team, he also joined us in getting over the fence to become part of the senior national team, at some point, as he also coached our Bafana Bafana. I would have loved to see coaches like Bra Shakes, Stan (Screamer Tshabalala), Trott (Moloto), Augusto Palacios, the late Styles Phumo, Clive Barker, Budgie Byrne and Conti (Kubheka), to mention just a few, continuing to play a major role in our football. I’m telling you, we’d be in a better position if these guys were still part of our system so that we can utilise all the information they have about local football. These guys knew how to blend young and experienced players together and I’m taking nothing away from the European coaches because they also have a role to play. However, I mentioned these coaches because I believe we are losing out on their expertise. It hurts to see that these legends are lost to the game when we should be making use of their qualities. We are suffering at the moment because there’s no continuity in our game. Bra Shakes paved the way for me and I will always be grateful to him. Bra Shakes, you have developed a lot of players and I am honoured to be one of those players who was given a chance by you. Through you, I believed in myself because you first believed in me. If you and Terry didn’t select me, I probably wouldn’t have played for Bafana or my selection would have been delayed, so I thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do for me even decades after we first met.