Roger Fortune’s departure as head coach from the ABC Motsepe League outfit Santos has everyone guessing who’ll be the next coach to take up the hot seat.
But firstly, consume this anecdote… Not sure If it is just me or is there something about the People’s Team, and as weird as it sounds and as embarrassing as their fall from grace has been, it probably still feels like an honour to wear the badge for the current generation as well – just as it did during its pinnacle of South African football.
I suppose the fact that it still remains the only club in Cape Town to win a PSL title since the formation of the new pro league in 1996. Also because its roots are anchored in Heideveld which has a very proud and rich football history – It really doesn’t come any more local than this ghetto area.
Not to mention the list of esteemed coaches they had over the years – whilst still a professional outfit – in former Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund, Farouk Khan, Boebie Solomons, Farouk Abrahams, Muhsin Ertugral, Zeka Marques.
Life in the amateur ranks has seen Santos rope in equally competent coaches such as Abduraghman Jacobs as well as Fortune – this duo might be less known in the mainstream but they are very well known in the local circles.
Now the time has dawned for Fortune’s successor… and Santos’ boss Goolam Allie should look no further than his assistant coach Jayrad Visagie (pictured right).
No Bones with Jones understands that a possible return of Ayoob Gester, along with Visagie’s colleague, the second assistant Siza Gola (pictured left), are also in the running for the vacant post.
But if Allie is serious about getting his club into the pro structures and avoiding repeating the same mistakes, then Visagie should be his go-to man.
Firstly, Visagie is level-headed, passionate beyond comprehension, and driven by success. He has shown that he has the ability to work with the youth and to mould and groom them for the big stage.
Visagie is also driven by success. He recently led Bayhill United to back-to-back success when they won the mid-section and losers section the previous two years at the Bayhill Cup tournament.
Visagie, who has been on Santos’ books for four seasons, doubled up as Fortune’s assistant as well as the goalkeeper coach. Besides the former Ikapa shotstopper is familiar with the structures and the players – and visa-versa and along with Gola as his assistant the duo could potentially become a formiddle force and bring back the glory days at Santos.
The 35-year-old, who has just enrolled with Safa Cape Town for a Caf C- licence, has shown as a young coach that he has what it takes to build on what Fortune has put in place the previous three seasons and should therefore get the nod.
To bring in someone completely new to the set-up will completely nullify what has been achieved thus far but that’s just my thoughts.
Hence, Mr Allie, if you want your current crop of players to prosper, then don’t look further than what you already have in Visagie.
