SA Futsal team Four Nations champions
THE South African Futsal team lifted the Four Nations title in a threeday friendly tournament staged in Mauritius last weekend.
Under the guidance of head coach Chris Naidoo and his assistant, Gregory Nair, the South Africans blew away the hosts along with the other participating island nations, Comoros and Réunion.
Naidoo and Nair are among the top franchise coaches in the country and were chosen to lead the South African team by the sport’s parent body, the SA Indoor Football Association (Saifa).
South Africa cashed in on some sloppy defending and thrashed Comoros 16-0 in the opening match.
The South Africans followed that up with 6-0 and 5-3 victories over Réunion and Mauritius respectively.
It was a fruitful outing for the South African team that last featured on the international stage during the 2016 Africa Cup of Nations.
During that competition, they were knocked out in the group stages, despite playing on home soil.
Naidoo, who is the head coach of current National League champions, ethekwini FC, said he was humbled by the opportunity.
“It is good to see Saifa put their faith in me as national coach. It was a great experience; in just a few days I learnt and grew much as a coach.
“Mauritius is a beautiful island and the hospitality and facilities were great,” the 57-year-old added.
South Africa’s technical team had its work cut out from the start. With just five days to select and prepare a team, around the clock performance was required.
“Given the little time we had, I think the guys did exceptionally well,” said Naidoo of Reservoir Hills.
“The team selected comprised all in-form players from our league. We just needed to get them to blend and play as a unit.”
Naidoo said he enjoyed working with Nair, a former national team player who now leads national league team Young Natalians of Pietermaritzburg.
“We know each other personally and are good friends off the field.
“We had a common idea on how we wanted the team to play. We worked as a team and that was excellent,” revealed Naidoo.
Nair believes that his days as a former player gave him an added dimension when coaching.
“I think Chris (Naidoo) and I work well together. He is a good coach and motivator.
“We had the same vision for the team and that is why the guys performed so well,” Nair said.
A lot has changed since Nair donned the South African kit back in 2005.
Saifa now runs a semi-professional league, while players now enjoy more international game time than ever before.
“The national team set-up is very different to the franchise system. It gives us a chance to develop as coaches.
“It is very professional, and an unbelievable experience. We can take the experience back to our clubs. The learning process never stops,” said Nair.