Something Terrible Happened At Brian's House!
All eyes were on the Soweto Derby when Orlando Pirates hosted Kaizer Chiefs at the FNB Stadium. The game promised to be a cracker because we all know what it means and takes to play in this magnificent derby. South Africa and parts of the continent come to a standstill whenever this fixture is played, because of the rich history and rivalry that exists between these two teams. We know very well that, when it comes to the Soweto Derby, previous results or form mean nothing because this game has its own way of panning out. This was one unpredictable game, with both teams always looking to register a win and grab the bragging rights. A do-or-die situation as Pirates' 3-2 win over Amakhosi will have the Bucs celebrating for the remainder of the season. People travelled from as far as Namibia, Botswana and Eswatini just to watch this game. That speaks to the magnitude of this much-anticipated clash.
Doc answers your questions…
Please don't forget to send your questions to editor@soccerladuma.co.za for now, until further notice.
King Babs-Mogobye wants to know who the best coach between Joe Frickleton, Phillipe Troussier and Ted Dumitru was.
It is really difficult to quantify what these gentlemen have done and achieved in their respective and unique ways. They all brought something to the team and individual players and they operated differently, which is why it is so difficult to rate them. I think the supporters are well-placed to make such judgement rather than the players.
Gavin Ryan is asking if there is no confusion between playing for the national team that plays differently to the team that the player comes from?
Every coach has their own way of doing things, philosophy and tactical approach. So, it is imperative for the payers to be able to adapt to the coach's demands. However, it helps when there is uniformity in terms of the style of play and identity, so that the club and national team are not too different.
Being Doc
I always make sure to remember the positive impact certain people have had in my football and life journey. That's why it is very important to be aware of who is in your circle because those people will impact how your life goes on. You get to be the best version of yourself through surrounding yourself with the right and positive people.
Coaches I've worked with: Such was his impact in the team
While still in Soweto Derby mode, I'm reminded of one Brian Baloyi who was one of those players who always cherished taking part in this fixture. Players react to the derby differently because some of them have butterflies in their stomachs, while others are eager to show what they are made of. Funny enough, there are players who don't even want to be part of the team for the derby because this game can either make or break you. I know what it meant for Brian to man Chiefs' goalposts against Pirates in the derby. His nickname, Spider, came about because of the things he used to do on the field of play. Even as a teammate, I used to be amazed by some of the things this young man from Alexandra could do. You look at the spider and see how many legs it has, and that's how Brian looked in the goalposts with all the saves he pulled off.
This man even captained the club because of his strong leadership skills. If you didn't know, Brian was always one of the most vocal players and showed leadership qualities. Sometimes you'd find that the going was getting tough for the team and Brian would singlehandedly win the game for us. If we went to a penalty shootout, Brian would tell us he's got three that he is going to save, so we must just focus on converting more than the opposition. He didn't have a smooth start to his Chiefs journey because he really had to bide his time, as there was so much quality ahead of him. The likes of Botende Eshele and William Shongwe were among the best goalkeepers around. When he was eventually given his chance, he grabbed it with both hands. He could win us games as a goalkeeper. You can ask anyone out there, if your goalkeeper is on top of his game it means you're being exposed and therefore something is not right with your team. Brian would not just focus on his game but lifting his teammates and ensuring that they get their act together. He would singlehandedly get the team to perform and turn the results around, in our favour. Such was his impact in the team.
Looking back, I ask myself if we gave him enough chance to prove himself as a goalkeeper coach? Did we not look at him and see a potential best goalkeeper coach? I know at Chiefs he was roped in as a goalkeeper coach, but I'm not sure what really happened there. If you look at the goalkeeping department, it seems to be the one we've got right in our football and can only get better. How can we let go of such a talent that is now going to waste, as it remains unused? Spider, you did wonders and made us in-field players believe in ourselves even more. You always denied the opposition and your leadership qualities always shone. You were a good guide for those marshalling your back four and always there for all your teammates. Today, you are a role model to the likes of Itumeleng Khune because of the great work you've done. I just thought I'd shine the spotlight on you this week, to show appreciation for everything you've done for me and my teammates. If possible, please share your advice and experience with the young up-and-coming stars so that they can benefit from your well of knowledge. Mine and his relationship is beyond football and I don't think a lot of people know that. Our mothers are related and we only found that out along the way, which explained the chemistry that existed between us. May you continue being who you are, without changing. May God continue to bless you, my brother.
Doc's memory bank: I almost burnt his house
Ha, ha, ha, I have so many memories to share with this man because of the amount of time we spent together on and off the field. I remember this one time, when he was hosting us at his house for a New Year's Eve party. We were there with a lot of our teammates, which was something we always did back then. We were always there for one another because we were a family. Something terrible happened at Brian's house! We had these loud crackers that we lit at midnight and we were all in such a jolly mood. Brian gave me one of those we refer to as 'bomb' in the township. Everyone was busy doing their own thing and there I was, being naughty, and I really don't know what I was thinking when I lit that cracker and threw it inside the dining room, ha, ha, ha. Eish, all hell broke loose! That thing was so loud, with people rushing out to safety, and the next thing I saw the curtain had caught fire! We eventually managed to extinguish the fire. There we were, looking at each other and we started laughing with all the guests after it was clear that we were all safe. Thank God no one got hurt and Brian's house was in no serious danger. Whenever we met, whether at training or in camp, Brian would make it a point to remind me of the burnt curtain and how I almost burnt his house, ha, ha, ha. He would be like, "You owe me, big time!" and we'd laugh about it. This goes to show that we didn't take things too seriously or personally. In all honesty, I shouldn't have done that, but I didn't know any better.
Doc's Friend Zone
As I mentioned earlier, Brian became a teammate and a brother over the years. We always reminded ourselves of the things we have to and not do. Whenever we had time off, we'd make it a point to do something together. In Brian, you've got someone who will always be there to talk to. He's always looking to improve those around him and whether we were at his place or mine, it would be the same. We would even discuss games before the coach would say anything about the tactical approach. I remember the Rothmans Cup game we were preparing for and that's when I saw something from Brian. It was the Soweto Derby and coach Paul Dolezar didn't mention my name in the starting line-up. The look on Brian's face – yes, everyone was surprised, but Brian's face told a different level of surprise. He even asked the coach if he was serious that he was going to the derby without me? Dolezar told him, yes, I was not starting and he knew what he was doing. He further revealed that the 'Big animal' which is what he used to call Pirates, was planning against me and he decided to surprise them by putting me on the bench and introducing me later. That day, I realised how confident Brian was in having me in the team. Sometimes it takes such moments to see who is really in your corner. That moment took our friendship to another level because we've always had each other's back.
