Durban — Dan ‘Dance’ Malesela’s Dinaledi FC claimed a 1-0 win over John Maduka’s Amabutho FC in their 3rd/4th place play-off in the DStv Compact Cup. Although both coaches were in different spirits, the two mentors heaped praise on the entire competition’s experience.
Malesela revealed the tactical challenges and lessons he had encountered in the competition but further explained how his interaction with all the coaches from different clubs had helped him unlock a wave of thinking he had never before.
“We had a very difficult game today, but then again this is a great experience. Games like these teach you a lot of dimensions and it helped us understand the importance of being able to adjust in football.” he said.
“My interaction with the other coaches has been an eye-opening experience. We discussed the game of football at length with the group I was working with and I am a wiser coach after this tournament.”
Maduka also echoed the sentiments of his rival on the day. He simply described the opportunity to work with other Premier Soccer League coaches as special.
“This was very special for us coaches. We got to interact with different coaches who are normally our opposition in the league, therefore the opportunity to construct a team and learn as much as we can from each other was really remarkable.”
“This experience will be a part of everyone who was involved. We enjoyed preparing the team, watching the players interact with each other and also seeing them finding joy in playing with each other,” he explained.
Malesela also revealed that the coaching contingent at Dinaledi FC took the chance to have these players under one roof as an opportunity to communicate other elements of football in the country by way of career guidance and career preservation.
“We addressed a lot of aspects about life and how players should conduct themselves. We have seen a lot of careers dying before they even kick-off in this country therefore we went atlength to try and help these youngsters,” he expressed.
“We reminded them that football is generational and the current crop of players need to be responsible for preserving it and helping the upcoming generations. All the coaches that were in the room contributed to that conversation. It was just to remind them that they were playing in the biggest league in the country and their children might want to do the same.”
IOL Sport