Following the departure of Rulani Mokwena, the former head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns, a spotlight has been cast on the autonomy of South African football coaches concerning player transactions.
This issue raises significant questions about the extent of authority coaches hold in the signing and releasing of players within the SA football landscape.
READ: Sundowns' Asking Price For Mokoena Revealed?
Dan "Dance" Malesela, a seasoned coach with stints at various clubs including Baroka FC, shared his insights on this topic. In an exclusive interview with Soccer Laduma, Malesela, who also played as a defender for Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates, revealed that the power dynamics at South African clubs are quite complex.
According to him, only about 60% of clubs in South Africa empower their coaches with the authority to sign players that align with their tactical philosophies and team needs.
"It differs from club to club. It's good if a coach is given power because if you have a philosophy then you have to sign players who are going to fit into that philosophy. But if the powers that be recommend the players you need to sign then it may not work for you or even for the team. As a coach you should be given that platform. So clubs will give you that while others don't. I think 60% of the clubs give you that while the other 40% go somewhere else," Malesela observed.
Drawing a comparison between South African and European football, Malesela noted a stark contrast in how coach powers are perceived and implemented. He pointed out that in the Premier League in England, coaches like Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp (when he was at Liverpool), and Mikel Arteta have considerable sway in player signings, which is less common in South Africa.
"Other clubs have people inside who don't understand football but are in charge. You find at times they want to sign a player because he was doing well at a previous club but that doesn't mean he will do the same at the club that is signing him. We like names instead of looking at actual football. We must be guided by football. One player can be good at another club but not the same at the next club. So most of the coaches here don't have that power to choose the players they want like in Europe. Like Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp or Mikel Arteta. But as I have said, some clubs will give you the power while others won't depending on how they understand the game," Malesela concluded.
