Ertugral turns Aces around
MUHSIN Ertugral found in Mpumalanga Black Aces a sleeping bloodhound he just needed to tickle to have it almost leading the pack chasing the Absa Premiership rabbit.
And how Aces have chased, playing quick attacking football that has thrilled audiences just before the halfway stage of the league.
This from a team that could have been campaigning in the National First Division had the owners had their way trying to sell their PSL status to relegated AmaZulu in the off-season.
Ertugral says he found at Aces a bloated squad. The Aces coach said he could understand how owners George and Mario Morfou had become exasperated at their running costs, considering the unsustainable business model of seemingly trying to sign every player the bigger teams did not.
For years they had bad advice. I found the team with 37 players they had been buying and buying,” the coach said.
Even now the board wants to buy players. I’ve said, No, please, respect my players’. If you bring in signings or foreign players now, January and February the most games will be played, when they are adapting, and the season is over by March.
Everyone asks me which player I want, and I say, OK, get me [Bernard] Parker’ [laughs]. Throughout my career I’ve never made a signing in January that worked so well. We need to show faith in our boys.
We re also setting up the youth section. Five of our current squad of 23 are from the development.
A squad of 23 means anyone can, and must be ready to, play, so everyone has to be sharp.”
Fitness trainer Elsa Storm’s near
miracle of achieving what so many before had tried and failed to do getting Collins Mbesuma fit enough to be PSL top scorer on eight goals leads one to wonder what physical shape the entire team must be in.
And Aces’ past enthusiasm in the transfer market did mean Ertugral inherited some exciting players to benefit from being in such excellent condition. Players such as the little skill merchant Tshidiso Tukane. Defensive midfielder Thanduyise Khuboni, a 2010 World Cup squad member who has never realised his potential, has started all 13 league games.
Tukane is an artist. Sometimes you need to use him, certain games you don’t. I don’t want to make him a running horse around the field,” Ertugral said.
When I arrived the club asked me what I thought about Khuboni and I said, You guys must be mad not to use him’.
We should reach our starting target of 40 points quite soon. It looks good but in football you never know there are cards and injuries. But I think this team is stable enough to end in the top five.”