Greenwood Athletic head coach Goodwin Lewis says he has learned from past mistakes and will not make bold claims about winning the league.
“Once bitten, twice shy,” Lewis told No Bones with Jones. “Lose your first couple of games and you’ll hear what the peanut gallery has to say. People forget the season runs over 30 games, but that’s how you get judged.”
Lewis believes the growing strength of the competition makes premature predictions pointless. “The league gets tougher every year. Look at the coaches — Curtley at Rygersdal, Shane at Ashford, De Weber at WSJ, Roger with Pirates. How can anyone make silly claims about winning the league before a ball has even been kicked?”
“Oenie” as Lewis is called, praised Greenwood’s executive for creating a supportive environment and also credited his predecessor Lionel Miller for laying a solid foundation
“Lionel always competed in the top three or four. It’s a pity he couldn’t take it further, but he has my respect.”
Lewis is now overseeing, what he calls a “new‑look Greenwood,” built around youth and depth.
“I don’t throw anyone out,” Lewis pointed out. “We have exciting youngsters and many new players. People ask where I get them — well, my name is Goodwin Lewis, and players know me. I’ve built a 39‑man squad to help us compete to the best of our ability,” Lewis concluded
Greenwood open their 2026/27 campaign with a Nedbank Cup Round of 16 tie to JL Zwane away in Gugulethu on 3 October.
