Davids to hit the ground running

Coach knows culture of Maritzburg United

The appointment of Fadlu Davids as Maritzburg United coach should inspire aspiring coaches.

He didn’t rush to be a head coach in the PSL. The 37-yearold was happy to learn as an assistant coach before taking on the responsibility of being the main man on the bench.

Now that he is ready, Davids could go on to become one of the country’s most successful coaches, if given a chance to prove his worth.

In the times he has been caretaker coach at Maritzburg, Davids has steadied the ship after picking up the pieces when Ernst Middendorp and Roger de Sa left in the just completed 2016/2017 campaign. He guided Maritzburg to seventh place at the end of the season, their highest ever finish.

Davids, who lost just twice in the 14 games he took charge of in the past season, said he consulted Middendorp before taking the job. He worked as an assistant to Middendorp at both Maritzburg and Chippa United.

“He told me I am ready, that I have the experience and the know-how to be able to handle the team. Football is changing with tactical trends and you must always be a step ahead in the PSL,” said Davids. “I want to make Harry Gwala a fortress. We have the best supporters in the country. They are continuously supporting us.”

By making Davids their permanent coach, Maritzburg do not need to worry about having someone that needs to first settle

‘‘ They’ve what it takes to finish in top eight again.

in. Davids knows the culture of the club and the players, who are happy to give their all for him on the pitch, which is important.

If Maritzburg are able to hold on to some of their best players and beef up their squad with a few quality players, then they have what it takes to finish in the top eight again.

Davids has a Uefa B coaching licence and is determined to get the Uefa A licence.