OPINION – Mohafe phone call makes Polokwane City look like amateurs

In a professional setup, optics do matter. This is even more the case in a well-established brand like the South African Premier League (PSL). To be treated like a professional, you have to act the part too. 

TV pictures of Polokwane City head coach Phuti Mohafe being on a phone call during their MTN8 Cup quarterfinal clash against Mamelodi Sundowns last Sunday didn’t look good.

To be frank, the whole thing just looked amateurish for everyone involved. Nothing about that phone call screamed head coach or professionalism. It just looked like another puppet on the bench taking instructions.

I’m loathe to call Mohafe a head coach because it looks like there’s another person calling the shorts from high up. I mean, we’ve all being told interference forms part and parcel of being PSL coach but rarely do you see in in public.

Who’s fooling who?

I know the Rise and Shine coach explained after the narrow 1-0 loss to the Brazilians that he was consulting with one of his technical members but it’s hard to believe. Who is fooling who here? The call just reinforced the stereotype that most coaches don’t enjoy the freedom of making their own decisions.

Look, it’s not uncommon for coaches to share ideas with members of the technical team who sometimes sit in the stands to get a bird’s eye view of the game but there are better ways to communicate.

Sundowns assistant coach Romain Folz watched the same game at Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium from the stands. The difference is that he used an electronic communication device that is connected to an earpiece of one of the members on the bench.

I know we all have bills to pay and sometimes local coaches stomach the undue influence placed on them by club bosses. However, agreeing to work under these conditions is taking home grown coaches 10 steps back and they will forever be undermined.

We need strong-willed coaches who stand their ground. What message does that also send to the players if they know that you’re not in charge on the bench? Mohafe’s creditability as a coach has taken a huge knock.