Coaches complete CAF assessment
Past and current national teams coaches completed a CAF equivalent of Licence ‘A’ assessment course at SAFA House on Friday November 22.
JOHANNESBURG – The coaches that attended the course were Gordon Igesund, Jomo Sono, Pitso Mosimane, Kenny Ndlazi, Joseph Mkhonza, Mlungisi Ngubane, Mike Mangena, Shakes Mashaba, Augusto Palacios, Trott Moloto, Screamer Tshabalala, Alex Heredia and Clive Barker.
The course was facilitated by renowned CAF instructor, Ben Koufie of Ghana and assisted by former SAFA Technical Director, Serame Letsoaka, who is currently Bafana Bafana assistant coach and acting SAFA Technical Director Fran Hilton-Smith.
“The course went very well because we had mature people taking part. All of them are great individuals in their own right. I have seen the SAFA Technical Master Plan, which is very impressive – but for it to be successful the Association will have to pick the right people to implement it. Individuals gathered here can do a great job. You have groomed them, now make good use of their expertise, engage them so this country will prosper,” said Koufie at the closing ceremony.
”I had the pleasure of watching Bafana Bafana defeat Spain two days ago, and I asked myself ‘if this country has so much talent, why are they not among the best’. You need to go back and look at what went wrong after you won the 1996 AFCON and then started a serious decline. You have so much capability as a country and I know you can make it back to being the best, and I believe these men who attended this course can assist. They have so much knowledge.”
The ceremony was also attended by the Minister of Sport and Recreation, the Honourable Fikile Mbalula, SAFA President Dr Danny Jordaan, Vice President Lucas Nhlapo and Head of the Technical Committee Anastasia Tsichlas.
Dr Jordaan said the coming together of such great football minds under one roof was the beginning of finding a lasting solution which will take the country back to the top.
“It is rare that you find such football minds in one room and we really hope that this marks the beginning of getting our football back to the top,” he said.
Some of the topics covered in the course were the physical demands of the modern game and the state of football in South Africa.
Each of the participants also made a presentation.
