Just one look at Rezaan Jacobs’ (pictured) long and impressive resume and it’s not difficult to see why Bayhill United headhunted this serial-winner of a coach for their under-19 Bayhill Premier Cup squad last year already.
It’s also quite evident that success follows Jacobs wherever he goes – and the proof is in the pudding. Needless to say, Bayhill’s thirst for success was further fuelled and tantalised by Jacobs’ predecessor, Jayrod Visagie, who guided Bayhill to their maiden trophy when they won the Midsection final against Highlands Park in 2023.
Visagie followed up this feat with honours in the Plate Section against Shayamoya FC a year later – and this definitely deserves recognition and praise as they have won two out of the three finals at the u.19 Easter spectacle – which is no mean feat.
Bayhill’s recent successes is quite ironic, as for decades, they have been the punching bag at their own tournament, always just going through the motions and making up the numbers – but it has all changed in the recent years, thanks to Visagie of course.
That said, all eyes will now be on Jacobs and his Bayhill troops to see if they can win the only other trophy that is on offer for them – the prestigious Roger Clayton Final which will crown off an historic achievement as it is considered as the Bayhill Premier Cup’s version of a grand slam – just imagine!
It’s also clear that Bayhill’s chairman, John Rangolie, has his eyes firmly set on this and that is why he has roped in the 41-year-old Mitchells Plain-born Jacobs to help them achieve just that.
One also would not put it past Jacobs, who holds a Caf B-licence, as the well-travelled coach won the tournament two years ago with Grassy Park United – as well as the Coke Cup with Bayview FC’s under18’s a couple of years ago, which is only a drop in the ocean compared to his long list of achievements.
It also just happened to be that Visagie moved on to greener pastures (Ammar Soccer Academy), while Jacobs parted ways with Grassy Park United’s Motsepe League team, which is how the latter ended up at Bayhill.
Jacobs said the alignment of his ‘marriage’ to Bayhill couldn’t have been more “delicious and perfect”.
“Everything was about the timing and where they find themselves now as a club and what they want to achieve as well,” Jacobs explained to No Bones with Jones. “And that is the same thing that I want to achieve as well. I want to prove to myself and to everyone that it can be done a second time around and that it wasn’t just luck when I won it the first time, you know.
“So, we all have our own little ambitions, they have their ambitions as a club and want to win it for the first time. I, as a coach, have something to prove and want to win it for a second time to prove to myself first, and everyone, that it wasn’t just by luck when I won it the first time. I must say, I feel quite good about the prospect,” he concluded.
