Coaches I’ve worked with: He wasn’t a monster per se…

One of the people who have made a serious contribution to South African football is none other than Rainer Dinkelacker. I was fortunate enough to work with this man for almost four years at Naturena. When you talk about a father-figure and someone who always allows his achievements to speak for themselves, that’s Mr Dinkelacker for you! A very humble German goalkeeper coach with a big heart. The approach he used in moulding the likes of Itumeleng Khune was just unbelievable. When Rainer joined Chiefs, Khune’s game changed and benefitted a lot. He suddenly became a leader, hence he was given the armband and started playing an important role in guiding his team. With more players that Rainer worked with, we started seeing a massive improvement. You look at Brilliant Khuzwayo, a player that no one really took seriously or were aware of what he had in him, but Rainer opened a lot of people’s eyes to see what this young man was all about. He became one of the best Chiefs goalkeepers. Coach Rainer fitted like a glove to our technical team, led by coach Stuart Baxter. His impact didn’t only improve the goalkeepers but outfield players as well. That man was more than just a goalkeeper coach. His input was always valuable whenever we prepared for games because we would sometimes plan for four games in advance. His contribution would be unbelievable and he made me realise how special the goalkeeping department is. There are certain elements I didn’t know how important they were until I met coach Rainer and learned from him. How he trained goalkeepers for a particular game and how he handled his players was always a marvel to watch. You looked at how he prepared his goalkeepers for different scenarios within the game, you got blown away. He talked to them about when we were leading, when we were trailing and all that. These are just some of the things I never really thought of, but I credit him for showing me how important the goalkeeping department really is. I learned a lot from this man, and I must admit there was never a dull moment with him around. Whether we were in camp or at the Village, he kept us in stitches, yet he is one of the humblest people I have ever seen in my life. It is not everyday that you find someone coming from overseas to coach in the African continent and still show so much respect and interest on how things are done. It is not to say other coaches were rude or robust, but Rainer was just different to a lot of foreign coaches I had worked with. He was so humble and reserved. Make no mistake, you will find that as humble and friendly as he was, every time he stepped onto the field, he became a completely different person. He wasn’t a monster, per se, but he was so serious in such a way that he took no prisoners. Whenever we were on the lunch or dinner table, he was the funniest of them all. This man, whenever we travelled to different parts of the country, he always wanted to know more about South Africa. As a foreigner, he always wanted to go and see animals and all that the safari has to offer, whenever the opportunity availed itself. What I saw Rainer doing with Chiefs goalkeepers is something that really sharpened my mind and expanded my football knowledge. Until I met coach Rainer, I never knew anything about analysing the opposition penalty-takers and goalkeepers and spending so much time on them. He knew every individual from the opposition teams whenever we were in a cup competition. Even if we were playing a league game, should there be a penalty conceded by or awarded to our team, coach Rainer knew what to expect from the opposition penaltytaker or goalkeeper. He knew each and every one of the players and that speaks to his attention to detail. I was always blown away by the things this man did and I will always salute him for imparting his knowledge to us. From the recent Afcon in Cote d’Ivoire, Bafana Bafana analyst, Sinesipho Mali, was credited for Ronwen Williams’ penalty saves due to his unbelievable analysis of the opposition penalty-takers. I wouldn’t have known anything about that, had Rainer not joined Kaizer Chiefs back then. That was about a decade ago and this just goes to show that coach Rainer was ahead of his time. This is a man that taught me so much about goalkeeping because he made me see it from a completely different light. There is so much going on in that department than just protecting the goals. It was a pleasure for me to see this man’s philosophy and how he helped his goalkeepers master the technique of transition. The kicking and handling technique from that man was unbelievable. How he got his goalkeepers to command their area was unbelievable. I really salute this man and I must give him credit for the wonderful job that he continues to do for the Glamour Boys. I must also thank him for all the lessons he taught me over the years. Can you imagine what would have happened during my career if I knew half of the things, he taught me after my retirement? I would’ve probably finished as one of the top goal-scorers in the world. Rainer came handy because not only the goalkeepers but everyone at Chiefs benefitted from his expertise. He would sometimes train the junior goalkeepers and their goalkeeper coaches. All those people are now equipped because of coach Rainer. That man changed the goalkeeping department at Chiefs singlehandedly and made such a wonderful impact. It became one of the best departments we had, not only at the club but the whole country. That’s all because of Rainer. Look at the stats and they speak for themselves. I just want to let Rainer know that he is really appreciated for everything he has done for Kaizer Chiefs and South African football over the years. He has really made a mark and continues to do so even now, working quietly behind the scenes. As humble and quiet as you are, you have really helped a lot of our players and coaches become better. We have learned a lot from you. Today, we see a lot of players doing what you taught our players more than a decade ago and that speaks to the vast knowledge and experience you have. The transition technique and distribution we see today from most goalkeepers, comes from coach Rainer’s teachings. We benefitted a lot from coach Rainer and, like I said, he made me see the goalkeepers from a completely different view. It was through working with him that I became aware that a goalkeeper can become a transitional player. In my coaching world, I never knew that until I met that man.