Coaches I’ve worked with: Such was his impact in the team

While still in Soweto Derby mode, I’m reminded of one Brian Baloyi who was one of those players who always cherished taking part in this fixture. Players react to the derby differently because some of them have butterflies in their stomachs, while others are eager to show what they are made of. Funny enough, there are players who don’t even want to be part of the team for the derby because this game can either make or break you. I know what it meant for Brian to man Chiefs’ goalposts against Pirates in the derby. His nickname, Spider, came about because of the things he used to do on the field of play. Even as a teammate, I used to be amazed by some of the things this young man from Alexandra could do. You look at the spider and see how many legs it has, and that’s how Brian looked in the goalposts with all the saves he pulled off. This man even captained the club because of his strong leadership skills. If you didn’t know, Brian was always one of the most vocal players and showed leadership qualities. Sometimes you’d find that the going was getting tough for the team and Brian would singlehandedly win the game for us. If we went to a penalty shootout, Brian would tell us he’s got three that he is going to save, so we must just focus on converting more than the opposition. He didn’t have a smooth start to his Chiefs journey because he really had to bide his time, as there was so much quality ahead of him. The likes of Botende Eshele and William Shongwe were among the best goalkeepers around. When he was eventually given his chance, he grabbed it with both hands. He could win us games as a goalkeeper. You can ask anyone out there, if your goalkeeper is on top of his game it means you’re being exposed and therefore something is not right with your team. Brian would not just focus on his game but lifting his teammates and ensuring that they get their act together. He would singlehandedly get the team to perform and turn the results around, in our favour. Such was his impact in the team. Looking back, I ask myself if we gave him enough chance to prove himself as a goalkeeper coach? Did we not look at him and see a potential best goalkeeper coach? I know at Chiefs he was roped in as a goalkeeper coach, but I’m not sure what really happened there. If you look at the goalkeeping department, it seems to be the one we’ve got right in our football and can only get better. How can we let go of such a talent that is now going to waste, as it remains unused? Spider, you did wonders and made us in-field players believe in ourselves even more. You always denied the opposition and your leadership qualities always shone. You were a good guide for those marshalling your back four and always there for all your teammates. Today, you are a role model to the likes of Itumeleng Khune because of the great work you’ve done. I just thought I’d shine the spotlight on you this week, to show appreciation for everything you’ve done for me and my teammates. If possible, please share your advice and experience with the young up-and-coming stars so that they can benefit from your well of knowledge. Mine and his relationship is beyond football and I don’t think a lot of people know that. Our mothers are related and we only found that out along the way, which explained the chemistry that existed between us. May you continue being who you are, without changing. May God continue to bless you, my brother.