Arrows focus on development
Ex-Bafana coach at helm of Santos Promoting MDC players a priority
One-time Absa Premiership champions Santos know a return to top-flight is a farfetched but achievable dream.
This is the view of the club’s new co-owner and former coach Gordon Igesund, who aims to revive the team which now campaigns in the ABC Motsepe League.
Igesund, 60, confirmed he has partnered with Bryn Ressell, a businessman from the Mother City, to resuscitate the club.
The former Bafana Bafana coach told Sowetan yesterday: “We have set ourselves a plan to try and get this team back to the Premiership in the next four years. Santos is a big brand and deserve to be in the top-flight.
“We know it won’t be easy but we believe it is possible. I have over 1 000 games under my belt ... that experience is vital in this difficult task.
“I will mentor Tyren
‘‘ Our target is to get Santos to Premiership in four years
Arendse [Santos assistant coach] because
I want him to be the head coach in future.
He is now like my son.
“He was my player when I won the league here [in 2002]. I have always wanted to be the owner who also shares his coaching experience.”
If history is to be believed, Santos will need more than a miracle to turn things around. The past reflects that former Premiership clubs struggle to return to the topflight once they have dropped to the lower divisions.
Jomo Cosmos and Moroka Swallows are a good example. For Lamontville Golden Arrows MultiChoice Diski Challenge (MDC) coaches, winning the title is not a priority – their goal is to nurture talent for the senior team.
This is the view of one of Arrows juniors’ assistant coach, Papi Zothwane, who also revealed that their target this season is to help more than six MDC players get promoted to the senior side.
“As coaches we are not focusing on winning the title, we want to help these boys realise their dreams. Last season six of our Diski boys were promoted to the first team. Now we are working on improving that number,” said Zothwane.
NFD Fixtures
MDC FIXTURES: Tomorrow: Ajax v SuperSport, Ikamva Stadium (10am); Plat Stars v Pirates, Royal Bafokeng Stadium (12pm).
Sunday: Wits v CPT City, Sturrock Park (10am); Celtic v Chiefs, Dr Molemela Stadium (10am); Baroka v Arrows, Old Peter Mokaba (10am) PLK City v FS Stars, Old Peter Mokaba (12pm); Sundowns v AmaZulu, TUT Stadium (12pm)