The beautiful game's sorry site

I travelled to Swaziland before hitting the highway to Botswana on a football fact-finding mission. The Swazis were very forth-coming and helpful and the Ba Tswana a little jittery and suspicious of my intentions. They kept their cards close to their chests as if I was there to steal their jobs.

The levels and standards of the game in each country is very low. The salaries are bad. Training grounds are grassless and very hard. For an idea, even the 3rd tier teams in South Africa and Zimbabwe have better training facilities. The school grounds of Mzansi are light-years ahead. I was really gutted.

In Swaziland, I met a long lost friend I first met a decade ago in Brazil. Boy Mkhonta is now Technical Director there, taking the reins from another Brazilian graduate, Sibandze. The man's passion has grown and he is doing a fantastic job and was extremely helpful.

I could not meet my other Brazilian classmate in Botswana. Ex-Zebras coach, Stanley Tshosane was too busy with personal affairs and all our appointments failed to materialise. He promised to make amends. There were also unsuccessful attempts to meet Rahman Gumbo and Madinda Ndlovu.

It was a privilege to have the time with Barry Daka and share some moments and catch up on our fruitful past together as coaches and administrators of the game. My feeling was that Mr Daka feels he did enough for football and that he was prepared to die on the pitch. The sad part is how the game treated him wherever he went.

Many people have raised concerns about the heroes of the game who made the people, city and country proud and yet they have nothing to show for it. There are many examples of players and coaches who only can show you scares that they received for the joy of their fans and nothing else. Few will have medals to prove their prowess then. Many struggle to have meals on the table for their families.

Could the blame be on the economy or their mismanagement of their own affairs? Is the environment not good enough to have the sportsmen and women live happily ever after? Can't the situation improve and who is responsible for the demise of the former heroes?

Is Kaindu's courses Highlanders' demise?

Highlanders Bosso Tshilamoya of Zimbabwe lost a championship by goal difference twice in succession after firing Mohamed Fathi of Egypt and hiring Kelvin Kaindu of Zambia. After the near misses, the former Bosso speedy winger decided to equip himself to go for the jugular and enrolled for the UEFA B License. As a result of his self-empowering courses, the team lost a few friendlies and three pre-season Cups and the club is in shambles and the team in crisis. Crisis? What crisis? Exactly.

This is Highlanders Football Club after all. So, welcome! People judge the coach on a daily basis, game by game. In this particular case, it is unclear if people think Kaindu will be a better or worse coach after his training, but all they know is that they want results from the team he has not had time to prepare. It is also irrelevant if the team wins the championship at the end of the current season. The thing is that the team lost three cup ties in an row before the season began. To understand the situation, Mantengwane fans buy players and select the team. They know how to win the championship. If  a player is off form, he is rubbish. The same player turns hero the next day if he scores the winning goal. The most vocal of KK's critics are his best fans in good times. It is a pity.

The concern of the team being unstable with too much rotation has been raised by an elite few. It makes sense that the technical team should wait for the beginning of the season to see which players fit well in which positions. Conventionally, you expect a team building exercise in real competitive matches and not friendlies. The team should be winning as you make mistakes. And finally we did have some positivity from the analysts of the last loss, that Bosso did not concede a goal in open play.

A sentiment against the excuse that the head coach was in the UK for the UEFA B License was that KK did not take passing and space creation with him to London. There was a general consensus of lack of seriousness and patriotism on the part of the Zambian. "Three Cups played so far in 2014, and we still wish 'it shall be well'. There is certainly something we are not doing right.", lamented one fan, another adding, "I'm actually tired of this 'it shall be well' thing. We need the championship this year".

Of the many comments and cries, it is not clear how many come from those who attend the training sessions. It could be emotional sentiments that have nothing to do with what the coaches see from the players at their disposal at the training grounds. "You have been given all best players and resources to take the league but I am doubting your commitment to the club." The rest of this comment was deeply thought and a grave concern of the way forward was a huge concern to the fan. What I am unsure of, is the truth of the statement. Does Tshilamoya have the best central and wing defenders? Are the midfielders the best in Zimbabwe? Is the strike-force one to reckon with? What about the goalkeepers, training grounds, salaries, bonuses and buses? With all due respect, I do not think it could be so, no matter how one wishes. Yet, KK must deliver with mediocre conditions, situations and circumstances.

My personal humble opinion was that it is still early days, the beginning of the season. KK does courses to coach Bosso better. There is sensationalists who expect the team to win by magic because it is Highlanders and they love and support it. Knowledge is power and as in any profession, nothing beats having the know-how, the education, and experience of course. The gaffer has still plenty to learn. He has the UEFA A and UEFA Pro to attend later in his coaching life. He still needs to know about 'periodization and scheduling', which are full-time courses on their own. The issue is that nobody cares. They want the wins and cups and championships.

If Bosso employed coaches who do not have coach education, they would need to depend on holy water and holy spirit. KK may feel the heat of his abuse concerning the training he undergoes overseas and leave the team. The benefactors would be his next destination, Bosso arch-rivals. The cruelty of the game is that even the unqualified can coach any team to victory. Highlanders can take that chance. I think we should not go there but I was just saying.

Thinking of how the coach can abandon a team in crucial times hurts, but we must understand what goes on in courses of that nature. The candidates have to complete assignments and meet certain deadlines. He's got to supply the information about his planning and execution of the job that he does with his team and hand that over to UEFA or the FA to see if he's on the right track. Any shortcomings found are pointed out and he has to come back and work on his shortfalls and go back again. The courses are very expensive and these organisations, UEFA and the English FA have a reputation to protect and ethics to live by. 

The margins of error in football success are minute and the variables are uncountable. Matches are decided by split seconds, one touch, a turn and a tight quick decision on the part of the players. You can coach all you want, but the options to execute those lie with the players. The coach is trained to identify the negligible details and ingrain that in the players.

Any aspect of football is not trained and mastered in a minute. Repetition is key. That is why players have to be trained from an early age until they retire, and usually the same things. Usually, all people clamour to say the coaches must say ABC. Football coaching is not verbal. It is technique training of repetition of everything over a life-time.

Also, a line-up is not a system as many would have us believe. It is the roles of the people in the line-up that determines the system. The players' form is one thing of concern. One day they are in good mood and play a blinder and then falter the next week. Others run hot and cold in the same match. Then there is the moody type and all. Usually, all of us at the stands do not know or understand these factors or players. There is no instrument to tell that a good player who is off-form is about to run hot or turn cold. You have 11 players to observe and another 5 who could better or worsen what you are dealing with. There is the 11 players of the opposition and their subs to take into account. That is football.

All coaches depend on those situations, how they turn out, to feed their families. A loss does not do any CV any favours. Factoring all that in, the coach with all his certificates, still has his error in judgement as an ingredient to that concoction. For football fans, the ball must go between the posts. If not, the coach is rubbish and when it does, the players are good.

Of the many other positives drawn from that last loss, there were still causes for concern as some found 'genuine reasons to ring alarm bells'. This was based on the team's lack of cohesion. The fan pointed out that all the pre-season hype had turned into agony for the fans. I think that opinion was far-fetched when it was extrapolated to Bosso 'fighting to stay out of the bottom three in this coming season'. This was in sharp contrast to; "I think it is good that we see the weaknesses now and hopefully they will be rectified as the season progresses. I still believe the team will gel and do the business where it matters most, especially towards the business end of the season."

Another sober thought was; "We have to support Kelvin Kaindu at all cost and expect him to plough back to our team. Barry Daka went to Brazil and Barretto to USA for their coaching advancement and they came back and won things for us and produced more coaches". The varied opinions can not all be correct. They just prove that one man's football is another man's folly. Football is an easy game and we all fight to complicate it.

Is it better for KK to go to the UK for his badges and the team sinks, or that the team sinks without his trips?

The Legend Hs Spoken: Busy Barry

"That is why this will be an ambitious undertaking but we believe in the partnership, and we are looking to start with under 13s and it is intended to have tours to play other youth developments and academies in South Africa and the neighbouring countries. To see development, we must be willing to sacrifice. It is not easy but you can see where football is going without any plans, development programs, coach education and so forth. Someone must honour up and come forward. We must stop complaining and act."

e-Diski: Hello BBza!


Barry: Eita Ndex, long time.


e-Diski: Sure it's been ages. Where are you based now?

Barry: I am here in Gaborone. It's ok here, everything is well.

e-Diski: Do you have any family?

Barry: Yes, but many people know my boys, Mayfield and Billy. They played for Highlanders and Railstars. I have my daughter who is in Johannesburg.

e-Diski: What are you doing here in Botswana?

Barry: I came here to coach Premier League teams from Notwane, to Francistown and here in Gaborone. I am currently working with a  youth development program. This was a team playing in the League but is shifting focus to development.


e-Diski: Wow, I know you work well with technical development, tell us more.

Barry: This is a well-funded and ambitious program for nurturing talent. It is a Happy Hearts Academy, more of what you were doing with KFA (Keutsepilemang Football Academy) at the ZITF.


e-Diski: Interesting Topie, but then, why are you not doing these programs in Zimbabwe?


 Barry: You know very well that it is a question of funding. Money needs to be put in good hands for the infrastructure, equipment and salaries for this to be a reality. My son, Mayfield, is ready to start with the programs if guys like you, Mafu (Bongani) and others came together and try to get resources. Then we can strategise and see the way forward. I have been in touch with Gibson Homela and a similar program will be underway in partnership with Happy Hearts.


 e-Diski: From my experience, promises for funding are everywhere, fulfilling them is another issue.

Barry: That is why this will be an ambitious undertaking but we believe in the partnership, and we are looking to start with under 13s and it is intended to have tours to play other youth developments and academies in South Africa and the neighbouring countries. To see development, we must be willing to sacrifice. It is not easy but you can see where football is going without any plans, development programs, coach education and so forth. Someone must honour up and come forward. We must stop complaining and act.

e-Diski: Is this inline with youth clubs of old?

Barry: The City Council built and organised youth centres for sports and cultural activities. There was money and people at those youth centres. Many players are a result of Tshaka Youth Centre in Makokoba even during our days. There was Thabiso Youth Centre and a lot others in Matshobane, Sizinda and so forth. It was like what Europeans call academies now. That is why we had great players. It will be hard to emulate that but we are hopeful of success.


e-Diski: Do you have any players you groomed from Makokoba who went to Tshaka Youth Centre?

Barry: There is plenty. All the players that graced Highlanders and represented the greater Bulawayo with pride and honour one way or another, came from these structures. They are a product of that system. Players like Makheyi Nyathi, Gift Lunga Senior, Adam Ndlovu, Nkululeko Dlodlo, and many others came from there.

e-Diski: Is this why Highlanders is struggling to produce that type of player today?

Barry: No one can say much about Bosso at the moment but I want to talk about the system that worked but was abandoned and the facilities are now white elephants. Stanley Square was home to all theatre and we saw great boxing matches there. It's all just good memories now.

e-Diski: When was your defining or breakthrough moment as a footballer?

Barry: I played in schools and the in the youth clubs that participated in BAFA leagues. I then played for Highlanders in 1965 at a difficult time before the team was promoted into the first Division. We played in Matshobana, Sizinda and all around the City of Bulawayo. That is why people always talk of Highlanders playing at Greenspan.


e-Diski: And then?

Barry: I went on to play for Wankie and promoted the team to the First Division and I won the 1973 Castle Cup while we were in the First Division.


e-Diski: But you came back to Bosso?

Barry: I came back to Bosso but the times were challenging and all the football in Rhodesia was in turmoil. In 1976, the RNFL (Rhodesia National Football League) championship had to be decided between Highlanders and Dynamos because they were equal on points. There were problems with money and politics.


e-Diski: Then you formed Olympics, why?

Barry: We wanted to play football despite all the problems we had. We formed Olympics where I was the first ever player-coach after undergoing coach training under experienced expatriates like Billy Asbury. That is the group that had the likes of Peter Nyama and Shepherd Murape.


e-Diski: Were your money problems solved by you rebelling and forming a splinter team?

Barry: We were sponsored by Archer by then and playing in the breakaway Southern Region Football League because of the unfairness of the mother body. So it was well for a moment until independence when the NRFL and SRFL came together to form the Super League. Only 10 teams from each region were permitted and Highlanders being in the Super League did not allow us to join as it would seem there is 2 Highlanders teams.


e-Diski: But then, who was Supersonic?

Barry: At a later time, Archer stopped their sponsorship and we were being bankrolled by Supersonic, that is all. It was just the same team but different sponsor. We had players like Boyce Malunga, Marko, Itai, and the like.

e-Diski: What was your memorable moment?

Barry: I won the Castle Cup with Wankie while in the First Division, and the formation of Olympics in 1976 becoming the first player coach. There are many.


e-Diski: A really decorated coaching career as well....

Barry: Yes, like coaching Highlanders, the national team and national Under 23. I coached Railstars, won the All Africa Games silver with Wieslow Grabowski in 1995. It has been a satisfying football journey for me.


e-Diski: What was the regrettable moment?

Barry: One can not live a life of regrets, no matter the mistakes you may make. I have always tried to be very positive and learn from the wrong decisions I have made. Otherwise, I could not be where I am. There are so many things I could have done differently but I have enjoyed reasonable success as a player and a coach.

e-Diski: Who was your best coach to work with?

Barry: A lot of fantastic guys. I worked with Roy Barretto, Rahman Gumbo, Cosmas Tsano Zulu and yourself. You were all different. Tsano was a physical condition specialist, Roy came from a different background and was a motivator, while Rahman had his playing experience. You came in with some useful analytic and statistic approach that made us play a lot easier against other teams. So it has always been learning from everyone and getting to use each other's experience.

e-Diski: Hahaha, you can say that because I am interviewing you hahaha.


Barry: Serious Ndex. I was sceptical myself when I started working with you. I knew you trained with us as a goalkeeper and I heard how you worked the previous years with Ernest Mpala and Max Shaluza Tshuma. When we sat down and you had all the data about the games you played, I started to think that I must take you a little serious. By the time we started the season with that Railstars team, I knew where we were going and everyone knows we could have gone nowhere without you. That is why I recommended you for positions with the mother body.


e-Diski: Thanks Topie, I am flattered and it's not everyday I get that from someone like you.


Barry: The truth is that coaches like myself, Gibson Homela, Mick Pool, Peter Nyama, Sunday Marimo and the like, have been in this game for a long time. You guys along with Mhlauri (Charles), Mafu (Bongani) and the late Benjamin Moyo were supposed to be the next generation of great coaches. It is still possible even at this moment for you guys to rise again.


e-Diski: What do you think of the game today?

Barry: The game has become scientific. While it is an art, it is now philosophical. Usually, people say PRACTISE MAKES PERFECT, which is wrong. PRACTICE MAKES PERMANENT and it becomes permanent damage if done wrongly. This is why I think youth programs must be revisited like when we had youth clubs. At this rate football is going down but there is hope. We have the material....

e-Diski: ..as in players?

Barry: ... yes, we have human resources and the facilities. All that is needed is the money. People must remember that as coaches we have families to feed. That is why we are here. Youth developmental programs like Barcelona and Real Madrid are the back-born of World champions, Spain. If you invest in the game, you will not go wrong.

e-Diski: What music do you listen to?

Barry: Cool Crooners


e-Diski: Hahaha, I think you also sang in that group?


Barry: Yes, but part-time. They are my good friends together with Kembo who people know from Lever Brothers TV commercials.


e-Diski: May you please sing me one line from any of their songs?

Barry: I can not sing anymore, my voice is hoarse and all I do is football now.

e-Diski: It's not like I will record and cut a CD. Maybe I can and then we can go and live in Hollywood, haha.

Barry: Doing what, Charlie Chaplin? Ok, (singing) 'Abantwana bayalamba kweminyi mizi, kodwa endlini kugcwelu fanishaaaaa! Abantwana bayalamba kweminyi mizi. Badlaa ipapa nobhiyaaaa!' (Children are hungry while the homes have good furniture. They eat porridge mixed with beer).


e-Diski: Hahahaha... You played with talent. Let's remix this one and we will be rich! BBza, thanks for your valuable time and for catching up once again. All the best in your endeavours.


Barry: It was my pleasure Ndex, anytime. Just think about what I was saying and let's keep in touch guys.


e-Diski: Sure, I am what I am in football because of the experience I gained working with you. God bless.

The story of Barry Daka is unending. It is as huge and long as the story of Highlanders Football Club. The man is full of knowledge and passion of the game. For his generation, Barry is miles ahead in terms of documenting his plans and implementing the plans. He reads books and believes in football modernisation than many who even came later than him in football. He commits to the game fully and his good sense of humour and great respect for others is a cut of the highest order. 

Highlanders FC Needs Madinda Ndlovu.

   

Man With Great Vision - Madinda Ndlovu

 Highlanders FC, Bosso Tshilamoya, Ongafuniyo Kayekele, also known as UMantengwane, i Team yezwe lonke last tasted success quite a while ago, and on a very bitter note, have never progressed into the Champions' League first round. I do not really care why, I want to say how those glory days can come back. Times have moved on and the team remained behind. When you read this, remember the "no money, no honey" bit.   

Playing in the Africa Champions' League is not your normal plate of porridge. It is hard word. You don't wake one morning and dream yourself as Champions of the league and then bribe your way through. At this very moment, the current executive committee, technical department and players should be sober enough to realise how the biggest sons of the club, as players, did not manage to go far in the so-called Africa Safari. If failure was not the players, it was the executive, if not, the technical department. Those gapes are even wider now. There is good modern coaches who are known to have created a crop of top players.   

With due repsect to Ali Baba, to me Madinda Ndlovu comes in as a Head Of A Bosso School Of Football. While like all of us, going that way is like a down-grade but with a good salary, Madinda would not say NO because he has love for the team and passion for the game. Give him the money, the car and the equipment, and this is exactly what the management will tell you they do not have.   

[caption id="attachment_1179" align="aligncenter" width="570" caption="Egyptian Fathy, Current Bosso Coach."][/caption]As for the senior team, the irrational stigma of "foreign is lekker" must go. Barry Daka does need to coach. He can be given a role of a Technical Advisor limited in sourcing and supplying of data , without any input in the team preparations. He can play the role of a scout because he can do this very well.   

Highlanders Football Clubs needs to have remain as it is as a club. It must register and own a company to run as a business. The company which must be like a financial consultancy, say Bosso Brand, must operate profitably for the individuals involved and the team and will source funds and sponsorship in all ways possible. It sounds a little crazy to have it profitable to the individuals. Siyayithanda imali. The idea is that who ever is involved in sourcing the funds earns only commission for the money he brings in, period. It may be a dollar or a million.   

It will never be an easy task which is why only a few people like the South African Premier League have done it and still there were some squabbles - which were caused by too much money anyways and Bosso would do well to have a problem of too much, and I do not think Bosso is looking for easy things. This company must either have the rights to design, print and markets memorabilia which must even include nappies, condoms or fruit juices, under the strict code of conduct and law of contract.   

I have taken too much trouble to say my gratitude to the fans who went to see the match. I will say thank you again. Many were surprised by themselves. A lot did not even see the match in the stadium. That spirit makes good business for the team. As fans, that's all you can do, if you cannot cough up. Be there and make noise. Afterall, it's good for your health. Seriously, sponsors want a full house. TV stations want to show viewers packed stadia. Advertisers place their boards where there is a crowd. They want to be seen. Visible is the term.   

Maybe you are saying, if this thinks he guy knows so much, why isn't he the coach or something. You are right, Babhizi bandixelela ukuthi ndithetha ndingayeki. Andiyeke into zabantu.  

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Highlanders FC Needs Madinda Ndlovu.

   

Man With Great Vision - Madinda Ndlovu

 Highlanders FC, Bosso Tshilamoya, Ongafuniyo Kayekele, also known as UMantengwane, i Team yezwe lonke last tasted success quite a while ago, and on a very bitter note, have never progressed into the Champions' League first round. I do not really care why, I want to say how those glory days can come back. Times have moved on and the team remained behind. When you read this, remember the "no money, no honey" bit.   

Playing in the Africa Champions' League is not your normal plate of porridge. It is hard word. You don't wake one morning and dream yourself as Champions of the league and then bribe your way through. At this very moment, the current executive committee, technical department and players should be sober enough to realise how the biggest sons of the club, as players, did not manage to go far in the so-called Africa Safari. If failure was not the players, it was the executive, if not, the technical department. Those gapes are even wider now. There is good modern coaches who are known to have created a crop of top players.   

With due repsect to Ali Baba, to me Madinda Ndlovu comes in as a Head Of A Bosso School Of Football. While like all of us, going that way is like a down-grade but with a good salary, Madinda would not say NO because he has love for the team and passion for the game. Give him the money, the car and the equipment, and this is exactly what the management will tell you they do not have.   

[caption id="attachment_1179" align="aligncenter" width="570" caption="Egyptian Fathy, Current Bosso Coach."][/caption]As for the senior team, the irrational stigma of "foreign is lekker" must go. Barry Daka does need to coach. He can be given a role of a Technical Advisor limited in sourcing and supplying of data , without any input in the team preparations. He can play the role of a scout because he can do this very well.   

Highlanders Football Clubs needs to have remain as it is as a club. It must register and own a company to run as a business. The company which must be like a financial consultancy, say Bosso Brand, must operate profitably for the individuals involved and the team and will source funds and sponsorship in all ways possible. It sounds a little crazy to have it profitable to the individuals. Siyayithanda imali. The idea is that who ever is involved in sourcing the funds earns only commission for the money he brings in, period. It may be a dollar or a million.   

It will never be an easy task which is why only a few people like the South African Premier League have done it and still there were some squabbles - which were caused by too much money anyways and Bosso would do well to have a problem of too much, and I do not think Bosso is looking for easy things. This company must either have the rights to design, print and markets memorabilia which must even include nappies, condoms or fruit juices, under the strict code of conduct and law of contract.   

I have taken too much trouble to say my gratitude to the fans who went to see the match. I will say thank you again. Many were surprised by themselves. A lot did not even see the match in the stadium. That spirit makes good business for the team. As fans, that's all you can do, if you cannot cough up. Be there and make noise. Afterall, it's good for your health. Seriously, sponsors want a full house. TV stations want to show viewers packed stadia. Advertisers place their boards where there is a crowd. They want to be seen. Visible is the term.   

Maybe you are saying, if this thinks he guy knows so much, why isn't he the coach or something. You are right, Babhizi bandixelela ukuthi ndithetha ndingayeki. Andiyeke into zabantu.  

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