I must admit I was rather surprised when Hanover Park FC owner Rieduwaan Anthonly appointed Bradley Barnes as their new head coach for his ABC Motsepe League side to succeed Anwar Gallant.
Not because Barnes isn’t cut for the job, it’s just that one expected Anthony to go for a high profile coach with a proven track record of success. Look, under no circumstances is the former Young Bafana coach Barnes being undermined, not at all…
Perhaps going against a less popular coach could prove to be the key for Brasse Vannie Park this season, who knows.
In fact, there are already positive signs after they thrashed Kapa Sporting 4-1 away at Ikamva in their opening match of the Second Division campaign, Mind you this was achieved with much of their so-called fringe players as the seasoned campaigners are in action for their LFA side in the Coke Cup, who also happened to be the defending champions.
Anthony, who has always been vocal on issues affecting the local football landscape, has taken the liberty to share with No Bones with Jones his rationale behind Barnes’ appointment. “As Chairman of Hanover Park Football Club, our approach to appointing coaches has always been about identifying raw talent, potential and the qualities we believe can make a difference — not simply looking at a coach’s list of achievements or trophies.
“We have actually followed this philosophy successfully for some time. Andrew Pequeno is a good example. He came to us from Bellville City Juniors and Goalkeeper Coach for the seniors, and he did exceptionally well. He not only performed strongly in the LFA but also helped take Hanover Park into winning moments in the prestigious Castle League – Third Division and when they got promoted to the ABC. Andrew has since moved on to Vasco and most recently Grassy Park, and we are proud that Hanover Park played a part in his journey,” he added.
Anthony further explained: “Coach Thulani was another example. He was an assistant coach at Wynberg when we brought him into the Hanover Park family. Together, we went on to win the ABC Motsepe League on the field in 2025, although unfortunately that achievement was later taken away from us through the court process. Then there is Anwar Gallant, who returned to us from Rygersdal over the last year or so and made a major impact during his time with the club.”
“So, when people ask me about our coaching choices, I think they need to understand that we don’t necessarily look at the biggest name or the longest CV. We look at the person, the potential, the energy they bring, their discipline, their knowledge of the game and whether they fit into the culture and values of Hanover Park FC.
“That is exactly what we saw in Bradley Barnes. His energy, his discipline and his football knowledge stood out to us. Those are the qualities we considered when we invited Bradley to join our football family.
“At Hanover Park, we believe in giving people an opportunity. Sometimes you have to see the talent before the achievements come. That’s been our philosophy, and we’re going to continue backing people we believe can grow, contribute and make a difference at our club,” Anthony concluded.
