Well, I must admit, we were treated to some wonderful football over the weekend in the Nedbank Cup semi-finals where Kaizer Chiefs hosted Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium and Stellenbosch FC played against Sekhukhune United at Danie Craven Stadium. The teams gave it their best shot and the fact that both matches had to go beyond 90 minutes to determine the winners says it all, with the first game finishing after extra time, while Stellies and Babina Noko had to be separated by penalties after playing to a goalless draw. This was one of the most exciting Soweto derbies in recent years and there was clearly so much at stake and you could tell that both teams wanted to win so badly. The best team won on the day and credit to Pirates for converting those two chances. The game could have gone either way, as both teams missed chances, but it had to be settled in one way or the other. I was also pleased to see a capacity crowd on Sunday in the Winelands and the match lived up to expectations. This is what South African football is all about, entertaining and unpredictable football with the supporters fully behind their teams. While enjoying the game between Stellies and Sekhukhune, the sad news of Alex Shakoane's passing broke and I couldn't believe it. Such a wonderful character and a passionate Mamelodi Sundowns supporter through and through. May his soul rest in peace.
Doc Answers Your Questions…
Please don't forget to send your questions to editor@soccerladuma. co.za for now, until further notice.
Sipho Tswayi wants to know what do I make of the unfortunate relegation of Black Leopards and Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila from the Motsepe Foundation Championship to the ABC Motsepe League?
Look, it is really unfortunate to see these two teams go down because we expected a lot more from them. As to what happened, I really don't know because you don't expect them to get relegated. It is a real setback not just for their province but the country's football as well.
Ndiviwe Bukani wants to know what do I think about the standard of our league, looking at how close things are, in terms of the points, between the teams?
I think something is not right, somewhere somehow, because when you look at the log, in most parts of the world, the top part of the log standings is what looks like our relegation zone. In most leagues, it is the top half that is more challenging than the bottom, but with us it is the other way around. There's no challenge for the top part of our league and it is only in the bottom part that you get real competition.
Being Doc
I've learned that when the going gets tough, you don't abandon your mission and give up. Those who make it in life see failure as an opportunity to start afresh, with a different approach and attitude. That's how they get better and that philosophy has helped me achieve everything I have wished for. Being brave is another important aspect, making sure that even when you don't have strength, your wisdom pushes you through.
Coaches I've Worked With: No One Can Take Them Away From You
This week, I've decided to tell you about Kenneth Conti Kubheka, one of the highly knowledgeable and underrated coaches in the country. Bra Conti and I come a long way and this is a coach that is very calm in the way he handles things and situations. When I talk about this man, I even get goosebumps because there is so much to talk about, not just about sharing a bench or dressing room with him. This is a mentor and one of the people who inspired my coaching career. The way he showed me the difference between being a player and a coach as well as how he led me into that transformation. I always thought being a footballer means you're a step closer to being a coach. Little did I know those were two completely different roles. I must say, there's really a lot of a difference because, as a footballer, you receive information and go out there to implement it. As a coach, you give information and ensure it gets executed accordingly. So, you can imagine how impactful this man has been in my life. He really changed the way I view the coaches because there is more to it than just sitting on the bench and barking instructions. Bra Conti was my coaching instructor in one of the SAFA coaching courses from Level 1 to Level 2. Even the Talent Identification course, I did it with him and this is a man I knew as an Instructor, not knowing we'd be working together at some point, as he was the Head of Development at Kaizer Chiefs. I had the privilege of working in the coaching ranks with someone who made me go get my coaching licence, my mentor. That made things a bit easier because we already had a relationship and it was not like starting to get to know someone new. I must say, I'm really honoured and appreciative of everything he has done for me.
Now I can relate to the things he used to tell me before I embarked on this coaching journey. Interestingly, everything he said about coaching is the reality I am faced with today. You can go and get the coaching badges and no one can take them away from you. That's the beauty about the academic qualifications because they belong to only you. I really owe a lot of who I have become in the coaching fraternity to Bra Conti. I really appreciate everything because I learned a lot from him. When I say a lot, I really mean a lot of things because through that man, I now know what it takes for a coach to develop a player or how to coach a team in good and tough times. Thanks, Bra Conti, for your guidance and impacting my coaching career. I now have my own academy, but without your influence and input, I wouldn't be where I am today. I don't think I would have the energy or even the plan, to start with. I was even a Coaching Instructor at SAFA, coaching coaches on his recommendation and that's why I feel indebted to this man. He really played a huge role in my young coaching career. Thanks to him, I now speak a different language when I speak about football. I'm very much humble and thankful to him, once again.
Doc's Memory Bank:
A Lot Of Them Have A Story To Tell…
People will probably not believe me when I tell them that Bra Conti once organised for me and Tebza (Tebogo Moloi) to go and do the UEFA licence in Germany. I couldn't believe it because I thought I had done enough coaching courses at the time. He was like, "No, you have to go and do the course. Yes, you've done your SAFA courses, but now is the time to go to Europe." I was so reluctant, but after getting my qualification and coming back home, I was over the moon. Bear in mind, this was a month-long course and we'd been out of the country for almost six weeks, so when we came back, we wanted to take some time off before resuming with our SAFA courses again. He wouldn't take 'No' for it and told us to absorb the pressure, suffer for a couple of months and we will reap the life-long rewards later. Here I am today, with all those certificates. When I came back from Germany, I had arranged to go and spend a week in Namibia just to relax and unwind. Bra Conti called me on the day I arrived in Namibia and told me the new course was starting in two days' time and he wanted me there. I told him I couldn't make it as I was out of the country. He told me I had to come back and, believe it or not, I did and here I am today. I am well-equipped as a coach because I had someone like him as a father-figure who was pushing me even when I felt like taking a break. I know, for a fact, that I am not the only one who has been mentored by this gentleman. I speak to a lot of former players and coaches and a lot of them have a story to tell about this man. They went through his guidance and share my sentiments.
Doc's Friend Zone
When Benni McCarthy started his career in Bafana Bafana as a young boy, I already knew who he was and what he was all about. Fortunately enough, I got to meet him up a couple of times because we shared a mutual friend, Percy Adams. Whenever he was in Johannesburg, we would meet up through Percy and he wasn't your talkative person. I don't know whether it was because he respected my presence or what, but he was mostly reserved. I must say, he always knew what he wanted to achieve and always thanked us for paving the way for them. You must remember, after we won the Afcon '96, he was the main man at the 1998 edition of the tournament in Burkina Faso. That's where a lot of people started to know about Benni. When we went to the 1998 FIFA World Cup, this is the boy we were with together with the likes of Mark Fish, myself, John "Shoes" Moshoeu, David Nyathi and other senior players. That's when our friendship grew even stronger because we spent about six weeks in camp. We would talk about a lot of things and our friendship grew beyond football.
Benni is a very respectful individual and he always idolised me for what I've done for the country and our football at large. When we came back from the World Cup, I was surprised to hear him saying he wanted to stay in Johannesburg with me for another week, before going to Cape Town. He did just that and it meant more time with him and Percy. Whenever I meet him, you can tell that he's really happy to see me and the feeling is always mutual. Being senior doesn't mean you can't learn from your junior and that's why I learned a lot from Benni. I wasn't surprised when he went to coach Cape Town City and then AmaZulu FC. The shocking part was when he was roped into the Manchester United technical team and I felt so proud. That has always been his dream and to see it become a reality is something to marvel at. I want to wish him all the best for his future endeavours and wish that his expertise will one day be utilised in the country. When you look at Benni, Steve Komphela, Manqoba Mngqithi, Rhulani Mokwena, Brandon Truter, Pitso Mosimane and others, it shows that there is a lot of local talent.
