Lions of the North finally cornered
BALFOUR PARK - The hard to catch Lions of the North have finally been cornered and opened up for interviews.
The elusive Lions of the North that have been playing a cat and mouse game with the media for some time have finally been cornered.
The club finally succumbed to requests for interviews to share their success story. This after a couple of articles were published by the Alex News in which editor Sipho Siso had bemoaned the newspaper’s failure to secure an interview with Highlands Park coach Owen Da Gama.
ODG, as Da Gama is fondly referred to by his admirers, was finally cornered and said in the interview he had tried to avoid the limelight, not because he was being rude, but wanted to protect his players from too much pressure that often comes with constant exposure in the media.
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“We had adopted a deliberate strategy of silently doing our work on the field and not brag too much so as not to lose focus on the tasks that lie ahead of us,” he said.
“I think it also worked for us but we respect the role that the media plays. I needed the space to refocus the team.”
Asked for the recipe for his success at Highlands, Da Gama said his first task was to create unity and a sense of belonging among his players so they could buy into his vision, philosophy and way of doing things.
“I want to believe I have achieved that, though there is still a long way to go before we can realise the fruits of our hard work.”
In reference to their top position in the National First Division, Da Gama was reluctant to admit they could wrap up the league championship with a number of games still in hand.
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“We’re not there yet and we don’t want to count our chicks [sic] before they hatch. The league championship is still far off. We need to take each game as it comes, and in that way, we shall be able to plan, focus and perfectly execute our strategies and ambitions,” said the astute coach who was a deadly striker while playing for Arcadia Shepherds, Pretoria Callies, Dynamos and later on Moroka Swallows.
He paid tribute to his carefully selected technical staff, his players, club management and all involved. “This is not just Owen Da Gama’s success, it is a collective and that collective transcends across all the spheres of club structures that have all played a role in our success story.”
Of his acceptance of the coaching job at Highlands, Da Gama said he had received a number of offers from premiership teams but he decided to work in the first division with people he had known for many years, and who understood his vision and way of doing things.
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“I want to work my way to the top with this team. I am well looked after here. If I look at the track record of some premiership teams that wanted my services, I get taken aback. They fire coaches left, right and centre and I feel I would not have lasted.”
He also paid tribute to Highlands chairperson Larry Brookstone for his vision and management style. Da Gama said when the club was relegated, Brookstone still paid the players what they used to earn in the premiership, and his only demand was that the team get back into the premiership.
Team skipper Tapuwa Kapini echoed Da Gama’s words of unity in the team, saying the coach ‘treats the team members equally and always reminds us that we’re family’.
“The coach wants players who work hard and endeavour to produce their best at all times. It’s no wonder the results are now coming as they do.”
