Soccer Laduma recently caught up with Bafana Bafana legend and St. Louis City boss Bradley Carnell to dissect his fantastic start to life as a head coach in America, Njabulo Blom's rise, Lionel Messi's arrival in the US, and the growing contingent of South Africans in Major League Soccer.
Check Out: Sundowns Scout: In SA, We Develop Players Too Late
Having previously worked at New York Red Bulls as an assistant manager, the 2022/23 MLS season saw Carnell become the main man in the dugout for the first time in his career and the Johannesburg-born tactician has been successful so far in his debut managerial season. With his Missouri-based side currently atop of the Western Conference as they look to secure play-off qualification in the club's inaugural campaign, the former Orlando Pirates assistant has given some insight into how he's got on so well so early on in his managerial career.
"It's been a lot of fun as there's been a lot of preparation and planning. I was afforded the privilege of being here one year early, prior to us getting up and running, so we could operate with our second team who are called St. Louis City II, who play in the MLS Next Pro League. So we were able to get guys in a little bit earlier and use the second team almost as a dry run and that team turned out to be pretty successful as well. We then started with player acquisitions, but the concepts and the principles always remained the same. So it's been a pretty good journey so far and we haven't achieved anything yet, but we just keep on trying to be more successful than the day before, so we just keep on grinding."
Speaking about the acquisition of Njabulo Blom from Kaizer Chiefs, the 40-cap ex-South Africa international also elaborated on how the young midfielder has been able to adapt to the American top division so seamlessly.
"I've been following Jabs for a long time. So, I've had a keen eye on Kaizer Chiefs for a couple of years, following Daniel Cardoso's career, and whenever I used to catch up with him, he always used to talk about Jabs. About how he was a good young player playing in the Diski (MultiChoice Diski Challenge), then in the first team, so he's been on my radar for a long time, even before I became a coach. It was just a matter of time before I could find the right opportunity and the right moment to bring him in. His tools and how he plays his game and how he controls the midfield, not just with the ball but even without the ball, I think that's what I love most. His tenacity also, he's always one step ahead in his thoughts, then his body follows. So, it's always a good sign when he's well-prepared and sees the plays happening before they even happen."
With Blom having seemingly established himself in the league and others such as Tsiki Ntsabeleng and Bongokuhle Hlongwane also making a name for themselves in the United States, coupled with rumours that Mamelodi Sundowns' Cassius Mailula potentially make his way across the Atlantic Ocean as well, we quizzed Carnell on why the MLS is seemingly becoming such a hotbed for young talent from the home of the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations winners.
"Just the market and what teams are looking for, and the platforms that players can start making a name for themselves. The league is getting younger and more dynamic, there's been a lot of talented players from South America, from Africa, so the agents and scouts are all looking in different markets and it's nice to South Africa finally getting a little bit of recognition for some of its talent. I'm hoping we can still continue to develop our talent because I think we can all do a better job identifying and trying to nurture the young homegrown talent in Africa, and South Africa specifically.
"Every club [in the USA] now has proper academies, 90% soccer-specific stadiums, great fanbases and great players in the league. There are high-profile players, high-profile clubs, so it's an interesting league. You can see with the development of Tsiki Ntsabeleng or Hlongwane or Jabs, these guys are coming on in leaps and bounds. The bigger picture is: Can it help the national team, can it help our success on the global stage? As a player in South Africa, life is very comfortable sometimes. As a pro in South Africa, you're with your family, you're staying at home, life is good. But if you decide to go outside your comfort zone, to push yourself one more time to see where your limits can take you, I think it's a good thing for the development of each individual."
Check Out: Giving Current Legends Their Roses: Aubameyang
This past weekend, Carnell led St. Louis to a resounding 3-0 victory over Inter Miami just before the David Beckham-co-owned side unveiled Lionel Messi as their newest acquisition. When asked about his thoughts on the Argentine's arrival in the US, the former Borussia Monchengladbach man insisted the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner's addition to the competition will only yield a positive return.
"Yeah, we felt it last week. Obviously, we just played Inter Miami and it was the week of his arrival so there was a lot of media, a lot of presence, a lot of focus on our game. So I think it's great for the league and with the other players as well, I'm sure Inter Miami will become a force to be reckoned with. It's great coaching in a league where they've got great players. It makes me a better coach; it makes my players better players and we all have to be a notch more dialled in in terms of how we do things. To get the best players in at the best time, I think it's great for the league, for sure."
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments.
WATCH VIDEO:
