Coaches, according to Thabo September, are not only judged for winning matches and trophies. There's more to coaching than just that.
There's the part of helping the club make a profit through improving players and then selling them to bigger clubs. And then, developing more talent within the club's structures to replace the ones who were sold. Someone who has proven to be a master at this is Steve Barker at Stellenbosch FC.
READ: Nine Years On: Where Are Downs' African Champions?
Stellies lose a star player or two every season, but Barker is hardly fazed whenever that happens because it gives him an opportunity to develop more talent or find a gem at another club.
At Chippa, there's attacking midfielder Sinoxolo Kwayiba, who is believed to be heading to Orlando Pirates next season. The Chilli Boys are unlikely to stand in his way and September would be proud of the work he and the technical team have put in to help improve the player's game this season.
Kwayiba is the club's top scorer with six goals this season in the Betway Premiership, joint with the likes of Peter Shalulile, Andy Boyeli and Devin Titus.
September had his say on the future of the player, saying that coaches are also judged by making a profit for the clubs they work for. In this case, the Chilli Boys look set to make a profit in selling Kwayiba to the Buccaneers.
READ: Chiefs' Zwane Gets Chance To Chang Amakhosi Situation
“As a coach, you are judged by winning cups, winning leagues and making money for the club. It includes the business of football and selling players. If you can make a profit for the club, that is part of it. And after that, can you develop new players? Can you bring in new players and make them better? That’s how you are judged as a coach. We don’t want to break the whole structure of the team, but it’s business at the end of the day,” September said to Soccer Laduma.
“He has done well. I was just watching Duba at Chiefs. He is the top scorer for Chiefs with six goals. Kwayiba, a number 10 who is not a striker, is also on six goals. So, he is up there in terms of top goal scorers in the league, so it’s a good thing. If I was somewhere else and we had the budget, I would be hunting for players like him, which is what Sundowns are doing. They go find players who can fit into their team and can do the job for them,” he concluded.
