There is something I have been thinking about a lot lately and I believe it's worth being discussed on a public platform; should the Coach of the Season award always go to the league winning coach?
It makes sense to give it to the coach who won the league. After all, it's no easy feat. An entire season of ups and downs makes it difficult to win what's arguably the biggest prize for football clubs around the world.
This season, for example, Mamelodi Sundowns have been incredible and it would be an even greater achievement if they were to go the entire campaign without losing a match. That would definitely put Rulani Mokwena at the top, head and shoulders above the rest, for the coach of the season award.
But, at times, there are coaches who do incredible work and deserve a serious shout at winning the award at the end of the season. It might not happen this season, considering Mokwena has done so well with Sundowns, but it's something we should honestly start looking at because the award does not always need to go to the coach who wins the title.
In the Premier League in England, for example, the likes of Tony Pulis, Alan Pardew and Harry Redknapp have won the coach of the season award without a league title in their respective cabinets. It was the overall work they did with Stoke City, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur that played a role in them securing the gong.
This season, Stellenbosch FC have been phenomenal and I believe Steve Barker is worth being considered for the award. If it were up to me, in fact, he would win the award.
Stellenbosch FC, unlike Sundowns, are not the type of team you consider whenever you talk about the favourites to win the league. They work within a budget and are not fazed by the fact that they keep losing key players every season.
They have an opportunity to qualify for one of the CAF club competitions and the fact that they did this without big names is incredible. Season in and out, Barker loses some key players but he always finds a way to rebuild the squad with young talent from within their ranks, and his ability to spot talent to replace the players they often sell to the big guns of South African football.
Their scouting department has done a good job to replace players that have previously left. As they currently sit in second place on the Premiership standings, I feel Barker should seriously be considered for the award.
