Coaches’ contribution

THABO Qalinge has been a professional player for three seasons, and during his career he has worked with three coaches. The player says each coach has made a contribution in his career. “He was a father-figure in my career. Coach Clive will motivate you to a point that even if you are not fit he will make you play your best football. When you listen to him talking before a match, he makes you want to go and play for him. I was very emotional when I left him at Aces. “VV was a good coach and unfortunately things didn’t go well for him. But he was a good coach and he always wanted youngsters to develop and become better players.” “Coach Tinkler believes in all his players, whoever is in the team he believes in that particular player to do the business for the team. If a certain player is not available, he will say ‘If this player is not available, we have this player to do the job’. He doesn’t stress about injured or suspended players, he focuses on those who are available. That is how he thinks as a coach. He is very supportive.”

forward to playing more matches. But it happened. I am someone who believes that everything happens for a reason and there is nothing I can do but to focus on my recovery,” he says. “I believe that I will get my chance to play more regularly. There’s a time for everything. What I need to do now is to work on my game – especially decisionmaking and knowing when to cut inside or make crosses. That is what I need to improve.” Despite the great run his side had during the 2015 CAF Confederation Cup, which saw them reaching the Final, Pirates have been going through torrid times on the domestic front. At the time of going to print, the Buccaneers were lying seventh on the log, with seven losses after 18 matches. To rub salt into