Where are the local coaches?

THE announcement by Orlando Pirates that the club has appointed Muhsin Ertugral as their head coach leaves the Absa Premiership with only two SA-born mentors in charge of the top three.

Not long ago, we were dancing to the tunes of “local is lekker”.

This because we celebrated a rare occasion when an all-local line-up was at the helm of the biggest three clubs in the country – Pitso Mosimane (Mamelodi Sundowns), Steve Komphela (Kaizer Chiefs) and Eric Tinkler (Pirates). More Absa Premiership clubs also had locals in charge.

Soweto-born Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba on the Bafana Bafana hotseat was the cherry on top.

Much as we understand that Tinkler delivered pretty little to justify his continued stay at the wheel at Bucs, we wonder why – in Pirates’ eyes – there was no suitable local replacement.

This especially at the time when South African football has lately been blessed by the rising coaching talents of the likes of Dan Malesela and Mandla Ncikazi to mention just two.

Ertugral’s appointment must have come as a shock to even those who swear by the skull and crossbones. Not long ago, we reported how the Turkishborn coach was tying up the loose ends at the now sold Mpumalanga Black Aces.

But like many, we woke up on Wednesday to the news that Bucs had installed the Turk on arguably the toughest coaching job in the country.

As we ingest the development at Pirates with a lump in the throat, we wish all the teams flying the flag all the best this weekend: Mosimane leads Sundowns in the Caf Champions League against ES Setif of Algeria tomorrow night; new coach Allister Coetzee leads the Springboks in the second Test against Ireland at Ellis Park tomorrow.

We are also fully behind the Proteas in their Sunday clash against Australia in the final of the triangular series which featured the West Indies.