New coach starts by ticking all the right boxes

Iam one person who is always advocating for local coaches to be given a chance, especially at big teams. In fact, I was happy when I first heard that Irvin Khoza was looking at Dan Malesela to take over at Orlando Pirates.

With the other two big teams, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns, already under the guidance of locals, it would make for perfect reading if Bucs were to have a local in charge as well.

That would have taken the number of teams with local coaches to an impressive 13 of 16 in the PSL and I was a little disappointed when he finally settled on littleknown Swede Kjell Jonevret.

But I must also admit I am beginning to like Jonevret and I think he will make a valuable contribution to our football, if what he says is what he does.

I was impressed when I saw him hugging his assistants on either side and talking to them before going into the dressingroom at half-time last weekend. To me that says he consults them so when they speak in the changeroom, they have the same message even if the tones are not the same.

The Swede has been ticking all the right boxes and saying all the right things since he was unveiled almost two weeks ago. At first I thought he was just relying on his boyish looks to charm his way

Sibongiseni Gumbi

through media interviews.

But after listening to his interviews on various platforms I must say he seems genuine. On Thursday we finally got a chance to sit him down and talk to him.

He cracked jokes and didn’t at all seem intimidated, a trait many of our local mentors would do well to learn. He was honest in his answers.

When his Chiefs counterpart Steve Komphela was asked about coming up against a coach who is new in the PSL, Jonevret also jumped in to add his concerns in an honest yet humorous manner.

“You just asked him how he feels about playing me, spare a thought for me because I have to play against new coaches every week,” he said with a mischievous smile.

When he was asked about Pirates’ players in the national Under-20 team, his answer gave me some hope that he is the right man to be in charge of one of our big and influential teams when it comes to our national teams’ successes.

“Our duty is to provide material for the national teams and those who will do well at national level,” he said.

When we had sat him down, we asked about his cool demeanour to find out if it was just a façade he was putting up. He first tried to dodge the question and only really answered it when it was asked the third time in a different manner.

“I am blessed to be doing what I like all my life. I played football and now I am still involved as a coach,” he said, adding there is no life for him outside of football.

Now the hope is that results will favour him. I hope he has been made aware that here you win or you get thrown out.