Higher level
Klate strengthens coaching skills with Uefa certificate
Port Elizabeth-born football legend Daine Klate has enhanced his coaching skills by obtaining a Uefa B licence with the Irish Football Association.
The former Orlando Pirates and Bidvest Wits player has followed in the footsteps of Benni McCarthy and Steven Pienaar, who completed the same course.
Klate, 35, has been working on his coaching badges since retiring from professional football a year ago.
The ultimate goal will be to get the Pro licence qualification, which McCarthy also has.
It is the highest coaching certification available and generally follows the completion of the Uefa B and A licences.
Klate’s licence allows him to be head coach of men’s amateur clubs, youths up to age 16, and assistant coach for professional clubs.
“With the lockdown everything has been at a standstill,” Klate said.
“I was supposed to go back to Ireland last week to go do my A licence, but, obviously, that has been postponed.
“I finished my B licence in March already and all the tasks that I needed to do.
“I was just waiting for the Irish FA to send my diploma to me.
“It’s been going well. I am busy now with the part one of the A licence.
“I was going to complete the part two of the A licence last week when it was postponed.
“I am just trying to complete all my badges, get my qualification and learn as much as I can about football.”
Klate said he had had a lot of time on his hands after leaving the Chilli Boys’ MultiChoice Diski Challenge team.
“I want to go into coaching and go into development but it’s very difficult with this team because teams don’t know what is happening and they cannot plan.
“After having left Chippa I have a lot of time to improve myself and gain a lot of knowledge when it comes to coaching.
“I was going to do my internship with SuperSport United as part of the A licence.
“That is now what I will do when everything is back [to normal], soccer is back and training starts.
“I’ll be going to SuperSport United to do my internship and submit all my work on the
A licence and then see what offer comes up.”
Besides football, Klate and a group of friends have also been busy feeding the less fortunate in his community during the lockdown.
“It’s been frantic. We started handing food parcels to the needy through donations and I must say it has been very overwhelming to see people in the area and people about PE donating.
“We are continuing to do that as donations are coming in.
“Last week, we did a soup kitchen so we are going to look in another week or so to do another soup kitchen.
“I am about to register the Daine Klate Foundation now.
“It’s almost complete and we will see how best to help in the community.”