Don’t follow me, follow the Birds Brandon has Swallows soaring to PSL heights
● That Brandon Truter has a future with (Moroka) Swallows is no longer in doubt.
This is after club chair David Mogashoa allayed those fears on Friday when he confirmed that the 43-year-old Capetonian is staying put at the Dube Birds.
Earlier in the week Truter sounded anxious about his future, but Mogashoa revealed that the coach had an option to extend his contract by a year and they will now exercise that after he helped the Soweto giants ascend to the top flight of SA football, five years after they were relegated.
“The coach is stayiPnRg,” said Mogashoa, “we’re going to extend his contract and he’s going to be our coach in the PSL.”
Truter’s fears were not unfounded as most promoted clubs usually go for mentors with experience in the top flight once they have been promoted.
Mogashoa said the 73-year-old club, which had won 10 top-flight trophies before their drop, were at an advanced stage of getting back their original name, Moroka Swallows, but for now they will continue to be known as Swallows FC.
“We hope that Fifa will resolve all the outstanding issues around our name before the season resumes, but if not, we’ll continue being known as Swallows FC,” he said.
Truter, the father of a 17-year-old boy, Liam, and nine-year-old girl, Riley, will have no break between the completed campaign and the coming one, as the team will be starting a short pre-season tomorrow.
Truter, who arrived at Swallows when they were languishing in 14th place on the log after seven matches, went on to beat Ajax Cape Town by a goal difference of just one to gain promotion last Sunday.
He confirmed they would be finalising plans to bolster the squad with new players, acknowledging that the top flight is a few notches higher in standard and technical ability than the GladAfrica Championship.
Though Truter agrees they will be spoiled for choice with players from the sold Bidvest Wits more likely to opt to remain in Gauteng than join new owners Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila in Limpopo, he cautioned against wholesale changes to the current squad.
“We’ll definitely strengthen the team and we’re looking for a few options, but I want to protect the current core,” said Truter, highlighting veterans Vuyo Mere, Lebohang Mokoena and former Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Virgil Vries as players he is keen to retain and build the new team around.
Striker Kagiso Malinga, 25, the club’s top scorer with 12 goals, was also mentioned by Truter as someone the club owe their promotion to. “People don’t know that Malinga was affected by Covid-19 before we went into the bio bubble. Malinga only joined the team five days before we went into the bubble and he scored four critical goals in our last four matches,” Truter said.
Given Thibedi is another player Truter would like to keep, but it might not happen as the dynamic midfielder is set to go back to his parent club, Chiefs.
“Thibedi was key for us in link-up play and providing assists. His situation is out of our hands. I would have liked to have him, but it’s unlikely as Chiefs are battling the Fifa ruling [that prevents them from signing],” said Truter.
Having denied Ajax automatic promotion, Truter intimated it might be awkward when he goes home to see his wife Nancy and kids. “I must be the most wanted man in Cape Town,” he said, laughing loudly.