What a shock that was for me
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Tumi Letlhaku: Coach, thanks for taking some time off to speak to us.
Kurt Lentjies: Not a problem at all.
TL: Massive win for you against Stellenbosch FC this past weekend. What does this do for the team heading into the final games of the season?
KL: Definitely a morale booster for us. I knew what we were up against and a fantastic win for us it was. Much-needed three points against a good side – their league position speaks volume of how well they’ve done this season. I felt we could have done better, especially in the first half. We only really woke up around the 55th minute. The quality I’ve come to know of my boys wasn’t there, if I must be honest. But it’s normal in football. In games where we’ve played really well, we managed to either get away with a point or even lost. So, to win this one where we didn’t play too well yet managed to win against a better team, we’ll take it. It’s this game and the one against AmaTuks in the Nedbank Cup at the beginning of the year where I felt we played badly since I took over, but at least we have something to show for the Stellenbosch one. It’s a challenge we’re putting to our players to try and do consistently now, go out there, play good football with more effort and desire to win. I can’t fault them for their efforts and I’m happy with the results.
TL: You have Orlando Pirates up next. Very busy side, juggling between the league and Confed Cup. They haven’t done too well in league games as compared to continental football.
KL:
Well, their busy schedule and lack of consistency in the league has nothing to do with us because we know their quality very well. They’ve got depth in their squad, quality numbers, they can rotate players and put out a starting XI that can most likely walk into any PSL team. It will be a tough battle, especially since we’re going to them. Look, one can mention consistency as our biggest issue. You can’t say a team that’s in position 12 has always been consistent, but look, we are constantly working on that. We’ve really just been unfortunate over the last couple of games, conceding late goals that have gone on to cost us major points. But I’ve been encouraged by the guys’ performances. They are putting in the concerted effort. I can’t ask for more than what the lads have given and I don’t want to use the word ‘luck’ because I believe whether we draw or lose, there’s always lessons to be learnt. My players make mistakes on the field of play, I make mistakes too and the referees make mistakes as well. But all in all, five intriguing games left. There are no easy games in the PSL anymore, and you have to fight hard. Our approach is to keep three points and it will be like that for the remainder of the season. We need to go into our next five games very confident and achieve the targets we’ve set ourselves.
TL: You speak of targets. Are those the targets you were given when you took over?
KL:
No, I wasn’t given any mandate or anything to achieve by the club or the chairman himself. And I must compliment him on the support he has given me, always involved with the club and the direction we’re looking to take. When I took over, I set myself targets from day one and everyone in
Uthe club knew what they are and the direction I’m looking to take.
TL: You’ve been through these tense times with the team before as a player. How different is it to experience that as the man at the helm?
KL:
It’s not a comfortable situation, irrespective of your position in the team. I’ll always be attached to the players and I know how they are feeling because I have experience of going through that with them before, but it’s my job to take the pressure off them and get them to focus on the job at hand. I try not to be hard on them because I’ve been there before.
TL: Have you since identified what your weak points have been as a team?
KL: Ja, like I said, the manner and time in which we always seem to concede is worrying. If you look at our previous game (against SuperSport United), we conceded through a penalty, which I don’t believe it was. Ja, you can say individual errors here and there, but I would like to call it collective errors. It’s normal for players to make mistakes in football and we have to take them as a team. We’ve pinpointed out those key areas and will look to not repeat those going forward.
TL: We’ve seen young coaches, fresh off their playing days, given a chance at Chippa United before, Daine Klate being one. Was this something that you saw coming for yourself as well? KL:
No, not at all. The chairman (Siviwe Mpengesi) phoned me over one weekend and I had to make the decision within 48 hours if I’m going
to take the job or not. I didn’t plan this but was led by a God who has greater plans for me. I played seven games at the start of the season. I believe my last game was against Maritzburg United and the next Sunday I was a head coach. I don’t think it’s ever happened in PSL history where a current player leaves the pitch to sit on the sidelines in the same season. You can imagine what a shock that was for me, ha, ha, ha. He told me he believes in me and that I had been a leader already as a somewhat senior player, if I put it that way.
TL: Sure... KL:
And people can say all they want, Kurt this, Kurt feels the pressure and what not... God has opened this door for me and no man will shut it. That’s why I go into every game with a smile on my face and confidence because I know the players have bought into my philosophy and the way we want to play football.
TL: Well, we’ve also seen coaches come and go as quick as lightning at the Chilli Boys before. Wasn’t that a worrying factor for you and your family?
KL:
No, not at all. If we were worried, I wouldn’t have taken the job at all. I trusted God to take me on this journey and I will not pay attention to any previous hirings or firings. It’s a different script for all of us and I’m walking on my own lane.
TL: Is this it though, you’ve officially hung up your boots?
KL:
Yes, I’ve definitely retired. Not in a way I thought I would, but a welcome way too. I’ve always been focusing on coaching whilst I was still playing. Those times when people wouldn’t see me on the pitch, I’d be studying and getting my qualifications, getting my CAF C, my CAF D courses. I knew what I wanted to achieve once I stopped playing football, but as I said, I didn’t expect it to happen so soon. I know I won’t coach
playerandnow getstoenditoff as aco ach .As a p layer,h egav eit hisallanditseems hehasretained thesamecommitmentandpassion asacoach, qualitiesthatthe ChippaUnited faithfulwillhope
“God has opened this door for me and no man will shut it.”
hew illsu stain goinginto thelast fivegamesofthe seaso n .Th elev elheadedCapeTow n bo rn Ch ip p aUn ited gafferelo q u en tly reflectsback on this o n ce-in -a-lifetim e scriptin thisinterview w ith Soccer Ladu m a’s Tu m elo Letlhaku.
Chippa United forever, I’ll move on at some point, but I’ll definitely always be thankful for the confidence they’ve shown in me. But who knows, maybe I might come on and play the last game of the season because I’m still registered as a player. A farewell match to officially call it quits on my playing career, why not? Let’s see once the pressure is off.
TL: Is this a call the coach will make? KL:
Definitely, I will decide. But we’ve talked about it a bit with the chairman. As a matter of fact, he’s the one that suggested that to me, as a way of paying respect and homage to the contribution I’ve made to our local game.
TL: You’ve been coached by a handful of mentors before. Who’s had the biggest influence on your career?
KL:
I’ve had a lot of confirmations from previous coaches whilst playing, telling me they see a future coach in me. I knew by the age of 30 already that I want to coach, but I had to watch my boundaries and thread carefully too because you know, as a player wanting to coach one day, you don’t want coaches thinking you want to steal their jobs, ha, ha, ha. But every now and then, I’d guide the youngsters here and there and I’m thankful to those coaches who gave me a platform to be a senior player. Clinton Larsen and Ernst Middendorp have definitely inspired my journey to coach. They’ve been a huge influence, especially coach Clinton as are we not coaching in the same league right now. He’s helping me a lot all the time. Ernst, not so much, I suppose because we in the same space and I don’t expect him to reach out to me much at this point of time, but no doubt we will sit down over some espressos come end of the season and reflect on the journey. When I was given the job, they are the first two people to give me a call and congratulate me.
“We’ll sit down over some espressos come end of the season.”