What a great start to this season's MTN8, with Mamelodi Sundowns being the first to secure their spot in the semis, courtesy of a solitary Themba Zwane goal against Moroka Swallows, before Orlando Pirates hammered Sekhukhune United 5-0 in an exciting clash at Orlando Stadium. Kaizer Chiefs beat Cape Town City 2-1 to advance, while Stellenbosch FC disrupted SuperSport United's good start to the season by eliminating them through a 1-0 win. If these games are anything to go by, we are in for a really interesting season and things are shaping up nicely for some teams, while others still need time. The teams that were not involved in the MTN8 got another chance to finetune their tactics in preparation for the upcoming games, while those who played last weekend will be happy to have got some minutes under their belts. The games are going to be coming thick and fast and the last thing anyone wants to see is being caught off-guard. We are all so excited that football is back and we look forward to more of what we saw on the weekend.
Doc Answers Your Questions…
Please don't forget to send your questions to editor@soccerladuma.co.za for now, until further notice.
Gavin Ryan wrote in about a section of Kaizer Chiefs supporters who booed their own player, Ranga Chivaviro, against Mamelodi Sundowns last Wednesday and how unacceptable that was.
To be honest with you, Gavin, there is really no place for Boo Boys in our game and we should all stop it because our role is to support the players and not destroy them. We really need to unlearn this behavior.
Derrick Nhlumayo was clearly not impressed by Chiefs against Sundowns and makes his feelings known but also asks if the team has an endurance coach since he believes the players couldn't run or maintain their pace for 90 minutes.
I think it is still early and it will take about five games for the players' match fitness to kick in. All the players are physically fit because they just came back from their respective teams' pre-season, but match fitness comes with more game-time.
Being Doc
Whenever I see something good, I take time to scrutinise the situation about it. Most of the time, it is only after a couple of days or even months that I finally get the answers to my questions. That way, I get the energy and drive to become a better person. Sometimes you might not be who or the kind of person you think you are. When you learn through others' behaviour, you then realise the need to make some adjustments and this has worked wonders for me.
Coaches I've Worked With: They're All Very Reserved…
When you think about someone like John Maduka, you're thinking about a man of character. He may be closer to being stocky than tall, but he stands head and shoulder above a lot of people. What you saw from this Malawian as a footballer is exactly what you see from him as a coach. Whenever I played against him, I knew it was going to be a long day because he was a very aggressive midfielder who went about his job without making noise. John was calm and aggressive. A very good distributor of the ball and a box-to-box workaholic. He was every coach's dream player because he would make things happen for the team in attack and equally so in defence. He was just unbelievable! A very humble and quiet person. When I look at all the players that came from Malawi, they almost have the same characters. Ernest Mtawali, Chancy Gondwe, Lovemore Chafunya – may his soul rest in peace – Cedric Nakhumwa and Patrick Mabedi, to mention just a few, they're all very reserved.
Maduka excelled on the field and played the kind of football that everyone wanted to see. He went on to retire and get into coaching and I see almost the same character now as I saw back then. He remains calm even under pressure, even when he's unhappy about the referee's decision or lambasting the opposition, even in the post-match interviews. To see his impact, look at what happened at Royal AM after they parted ways with him and they had to bring him back. When he returned, he continued from where he had left off and he's still there to this day, working well with everyone. He remains calm in the technical area and don't be deceived by his character because he's such a knowledgeable coach who can read the game so well. I just want to acknowledge the fact that, as a former footballer, he's playing an important role in South African football. I wish him everything of the best in his coaching career.
Doc's Memory Bank: That's One Thing I've Noticed…
I've always had a close relationship with John from our playing days. We still meet up at events or after games and he's one of the most consistent people I have ever met. Everything he says or does is with respect and you can't help but respect and admire someone like that. When he is on the field, he looks like a monster or someone possessed, but I would engage him in a conversation off the field and sometimes I'd be expecting a harsh or robust response, but not from John. His voice projection is always at the same level and that always catches my attention. I must say I have learned a lot from John's character because when you are calm, you don't react to everything. That's one thing I've noticed about the Malawians that I have dealt with. I remember a lot of conversations I've had with this man, but one thing that stands out is his calm demeanour.
Doc's Friend Zone
I used to admire Vincent Kobola from a distance and this was towards my retirement or after I retired. I monitored his game and followed his career. A very aggressive but quiet defender. I happened to spend some time with him during the football courses. When we started getting involved in the same events and tournaments, we started to engage even more. Just recently, we came back from a tournament in the US, which I spoke about in one of my previous columns. The 10-day period we spent in that tournament showed the other side of Vincent. This got me thinking, to say, "I remember watching this boy and admiring him from a distance and now I'm privileged to spend a lot of time with him." Vincent is kind. Where we stayed in the US, the distance from our rooms to the dining area is massive. It is almost a 20-minute walk and you must remember I couldn't walk properly as I was in a moonboot and crutches. The hotel staff offered me a wheelchair to make moving around a bit easier and, believe it or not, Vincent was the one always pushing me in that wheelchair, to and from the dining area every day, and ensuring that I was ok.
He would always be the one taking me to the bus when it was time to leave the hotel. When we come back, Vincent would be there ready to push me around. He really took care of me and that meant a lot to me. The level of respect he gives me as an individual is out of this world. God brought me another gem in Vincent and I really want to appreciate this man. This man was there for me throughout our stay and he would just show up to my room to ask if I needed anything, just to make sure I was alright. I was really blown away by how he went out of his way to make sure I was alright. You know, sometimes after dinner when we were chilling, he would massage my legs to allow for the blood to flow because I was, sometimes, getting swollen and he was like a physio and everything I needed in that tour.
I came back from the US feeling much better and Vincent probably has no idea of how much of an impact he's had to me because everything he did for me helped me heal mentally and physically. From his massages and the support he gave me, I came back able to walk a bit even before my scheduled visit to the physio. The man was always available for me whenever I needed anything. I'd like to tell him: I've seen everything you've done for me and none of it has gone unnoticed, my brother. It will never be erased in my mind for as long as I live. Thank you very much for everything and, as much as I've said this to you already, I still can't find words to thank you enough for the love and support you've showed me. Your kind and calm way of doing things has also rubbed off on me and I appreciate you, my friend and brother.
