The Advertiser asked:
* The team has had a reasonable start to the season, but has been experiencing a bad run since your 2-0 win against Elsburg last month. How did the wheels fall off?
Yes, we got off to a great start to the season and were feeling very confident about ourselves and the new additions to the squad, but, in saying that, we knew it was never going to be easy. And I don’t think much separates the teams in this league; games can go either way on the day. We have been hit with a lot of serious injuries to key members of our squad, which hasn’t made it easy. In saying that, however, I really believe we haven’t had a bad season. Yes, the results haven’t gone our way, but I can say we have probably been outplayed in a total of three games. We find ourselves dominating the game and end up losing 1-0 on a counter attack, after controlling the whole game. If we had to put our chances away, the league table would have looked very different. Our finishing has let us down this year.
* The league is heading for the run-in with the team sitting at the bottom half of the table. Where are you planning on finishing come the end of the season, and do you feel it’s still possible to get to that goal?
Look, I don’t think there would even be a point in stepping out onto the field if we weren’t going out to win. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to finish top of the log. We have a strict squad rotation policy and then put all our focus into trying to win the cup. But, I made it very clear at the start of the season to the team that I believed our squad was strong enough to challenge for the league. It didn’t pan out like that, unfortunately, and realistically it isn’t possible anymore. But don’t write us off, we are going to play a big part in shaping how the league will look come the end, and we will focus on finishing as high as possible.
* With the league into the second round and matches fast running out, what’s your overall view of the season thus far?
It’s been a very interesting season so far, and it’s been a lot closer than I think teams thought it would be. There has never been a team you could bank on getting three points from. Results and team performances have varied so much from week to week, and good rivalries have been built over the years, so you always look forward to playing those games.
* Moving slightly away from the league, for how long have you been at the helm of the club?
This is my fourth year with the club, although after my first year I did leave to have a break from coaching. I returned three years ago and haven’t looked back.
* Were you a player before going into coaching? If so, which teams did you represent and in which position/s did you play?
I was a player. I was part of the original team that started up our team for CBC Old Boys.
In my younger days I played for Elsburg and Boksburg. I started up front and slowly found myself moving down through to defence as my pace somewhat disappeared.
* Which other sides did you coach before CBC?
My coaching career started on a very different path from football. I went into coaching from leaving school, but obtained my coaching levels in cricket and rugby. I coached schoolboy rugby and cricket at CBC and later moved on to coach first team rugby at Cornwall, in Pretoria. I coached rugby and cricket at a more senior level at club and provincial levels before calling it a day to go into the corporate world – to later return to coaching this football side.
*What’s the best thing about coaching the side?
We have a great group of players and there is never a dull moment with them; there is a real special bond that is formed with the lads that will never be broken. There is nothing better than getting together with a group of your good mates and achieving your goals with them, or to pulling through the bad patches together. It’s always rewarding to do that, but so much better with close friends.
*Still on the team, who are the biggest character and most serious player in the locker room?
There are many characters on our team to say the least. Like I said, there’s never a dull moment with this group of players, but I think maybe a special mention needs to go to BVN and Mathew Currin. It’s very hard to be too serious for long with this group, but I would say the guys who are more quiet and the ones who try to get focused mentally before the game would be Gareth Miller and Gareth King.
* Describe some of your highs and lows in your time in the CBC dugout?
Highs would definitely have to be bringing silverware to the club by beating our local neighbours, Boksburg, in the cup final, and bringing the team from a division side into the Premier League and remaining at that level. Low would be losing great players for various reasons; and a few years back the future of the side looked grim as we lost a lot of players and weren’t sure if we were going to be able to field a side. We did, however, pull through and, within 18 months, went on to win the cup.
* On a lighter note, if you had the choice of adding one professional player to the team, who would it be and why?
Oh, now this is a hard one. There are so many world-class players out there. I would have to go with Luis Suarez. And why wouldn’t you? Who wouldn’t want a goal-scoring machine? I know he wouldn’t be a popular choice for everyone, but his unpredictable behaviour is one of the things that would make him fit in with our team. The lack of goals is what we are missing, so it would be the perfect fit if I could only choose one. Love him or hate him, you can’t deny he is world-class.
* Who is your favourite professional player and which team do you support?
There is only one team, and it’s the mighty reds of Liverpool! In terms of an all-round professional, you would battle to look much further than Captain Fantastic Stevie G [Steven Gerrard]. He is the perfect example of what it means to be a professional and loyal, and knowing where you came from. In saying that, it’s very hard to pick just one; it depends what position and what role you are looking for in a player. There are many greats out there, some of them play for the arch rivals, so we won’t mention them. I will mention names like Carra [Jamie Carragher], Alonso [Xabi Alonso], Coutinho [Philippe Coutinho] and Agger [Daniel Agger]. Okay I’ll stop now, otherwise we could be here all day.
* Who’s the better player between Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi – and why?
The much heated debate continues. I’m going to have to go with Messi on this one. He is just so much more professional in the way he conducts himself. Ronaldo is a bit too arrogant for my liking (and besides, he did play for the enemy, Manchester United). But, in all seriousness, I think Messi is just a step above the rest. Ronaldo is great, but I think Messi is untouchable – stats don’t lie either.
* It’s Olympia for you guys next as you look to get back to winning ways, what will be the message to the guys going into the match?
Yes, we need to turn this around now. We are playing some good football and I think we need to be patient and remember what works for us. We have out-classed most teams we have faced, but haven’t been clinical in front of goals and we are trying to force it in search of that goal. So, be patient and build-up, push ball and we will get into goal-scoring positions. We don’t need to be firing half chances from all over the place, trying to force the goals. And, squeeze in defence, holding it tight at the back. We are not going to win the league, but we can make the other teams’ lives difficult in their chase for the title. We will realign our focus on the cup, starting with the quarter-finals in a couple of weeks’ time. – @SabeloBoksburg
BFC coach chats about the challenges of mentoring the Blues
