Da Gama bounces back

Sy Lerman

He has been nicknamed “Rubber Ball” – and it would be fair to say that Owen da Gama has bounced back at what seems an appropriate moment in his coaching career and that of Highlands Park.

And in his first NFD game in charge, Highlands ended a threegame losing run.

Highlands’ history extends to the early 1960s when Da Gama (above) was born – and there is therefore something symbolic about the two joining forces.

Da Gama, had endured a frustrating year that has not been of his own making, with first Safa transforming his position of Bafana Bafana assistant coach to that of caretaker coach following the sacking of Shakes Mashaba.

And when Safa, after a lengthy, six-month period in which all and sundry appeared in limbo, finally appointed Stuart Baxter as Bafana coach, Da Gama was hoisted from pillar to post by South African football’s controlling body when many felt he should at least have been offered the opportunity of reverting to his former role with the national side.

Highlands, for their part, finally made a great comeback last season to the big-time when they gained promotion after a long haul to the Premier League.

But the road back, although paved with good intentions and optimism, proved also to be littered with hardships and little luck ended with relegation back to the National First Division.