Ferreira seen as a project leader
NEW COACH: CAN STILL GUIDE TTM INTO THE PLAYOFFS
Johnny Ferreira says he is flattered that out of hundreds of coaches the new owners of Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, soon to be renamed Sekhukhune FC, chose him to guide their project to fruition.
Joburg-based construction mogul, Simon Malatji purchased Tshakhuma from its owners who have since bought out Bidvest Wits. Malatji confirmed through a statement this week that the team will from next season be known as Sekhukhune FC and Ferreira will be the coach.
“It is a very big honour,” Ferreira told the Saturday Citizen. “I have met the chairman once. But I am very impressed with their ambition. They want to get to the Premier League as quickly as possible,” he added.
The former Uthongathi coach says this is a chance for him to finish what he had started at his former club that fired him midway through the season while the team had looked good for promotion.
“I believe I can deliver that (promotion) for them. I want to finish what I started at Uthongathi. And with the resources that we will have, I am almost certain that we will be knocking on the door to get promoted,” he said.
In fact, Ferreira can achieve the feat in just six games with Tshakhuma just three points off second spot which would qalifiy them for the playoffs. Tshakhuma are fourth in the Championship standings, three points behind Swallows FC in second place and 10 behind Ajax Cape Town who are top of the standings.
“That is a real consideration for us that if we can get Tshakhuma to the playoffs, anything can happen. Anyone can win the playoffs, it doesn’t matter who finishes in 15th position in the top-flight.
“It is clearly an objective of the club. They want promotion as quickly as possible but within reason.
“They are not unreasonable about it. They made that clear to me. They felt I was most suited for the project of taking the club to the Premiership,”