Derby reignites timeless rivalry

Midfield wizards now master mentors

IN THEIR heyday, Doctor Khumalo and Tebogo Moloi were the fulcrum of their respective midfields and, with their silky touches, they influenced many a Soweto derby.

Now the fates have allowed them an opportunity to be on opposing benches where their friendly rivalry has been transmitted through the players they mentor.

Khumalo has always seen the derby as a game players need to enjoy, regardless of the magnitude of the fixture. They do not come any bigger than a cup final and tomorrow’s MTN8 final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium will be no different.

He implored his Chiefs players to take the game by the scruff of the neck and leave a lasting derby imprint. He said he enjoyed playing against Moloi and sees it as a bigger privilege to coach against him, especially in the light of the harsh South African football landscape.

“Back in the day, if I was on top in a Soweto derby, Tebogo would take on the responsibility of cajoling the team and vice versa. There was always a player who was willing to carry the team.

“You don’t find that any more. You don’t find that individual who comes in with the surprise element to turn the game around,” Khumalo said.

“Stuart Baxter always tells them to live in their own shadows and not in someone else’s. They need to create their own history and this is the time to do it. He always tells them this ahead of a Pirates match. They must create their own movies.”

Moloi waged timeless battles with Khumalo, which are still on the lips of those who witnessed them. His one disappointment with the modern derby is the detachment of the players from their traditional support bases.

The abdication of responsibility by players has been married with the fact that individual brilliance has all but disappeared, with team effort coming up trumps on the day.

Moloi said it was not malice from the players’ side, but the different socio-economic factors of their era, coupled with the evolution of the game where the current players are growing up with different football role models.

“Shoes Moshoeu once said the derby does not have icons anymore. They grow up watching different types of football and develop other role models not associated with the derby. “I grew up with the derby being the pinnacle of the season and everything else came second. Winning the league is the priority now and most of them do not stay in the Soweto neighbourhoods where they can see how the rivalry ferments,” Moloi said.

“There has been a big reliance on team effort rather than individual brilliance. When there isn’t team brilliance, you hardly find a player who will put their hands up and try to own the moment, leaving the people with something to talk about for years to come.”

With their vast Soweto derby experience, the role of Moloi and Khumalo within their respective clubs goes far beyond that of being assistant coaches, even though Orlando Pirates’ coach has had both sides of his bread buttered by the clubs.

Khumalo is keenly aware of his mentorship role, especially with players who find it hard to break out and express themselves on the big stage.

“The mental factor is the most important pillar of a player’s makeup. The pressure of the derby often gets to them because they overthink the game.

“Some players battle to calm themselves down but fortunately we have Baxter. I don’t know how he does it but he has a calming effect.”