Neil Tovey, who was part of the league-winning coaching duo at Sundowns in 2006, has decided to give some quality advice to the club’s current technical team.
The former Bafana Bafana skipper took over the reins alongside Miguel Gammondi a few matches shy of the halfway mark that season and the combo produced a Premier League title – a first in the Patrice Motsepe era.
He’s more than qualified, then, to give his opinion on a similar set up announced by the Downs owner last year to have Manqoba Mngqithi and Rulani Mokwena installed as co-coaches following Pitso Mosimane’s shock departure.
“I think it’s sustainable, as long as the roles are defined and the messages conveyed to players are relevant to each of their abilities as the coaches. The messages also have to be of synergy – that’s vital, you can’t have one co-coach saying this to the player and the other one is mentioning something different on tactics and what they all want to achieve,” said Tovey, speaking in an interview.
“There will always be one bull that is looked on to give the final message or make the substitution – it’s often the case that there’s one bull in the kraal.”
Quizzed about whether the success so far, winning the DStv Premiership last season and the MTN8 two weeks ago, would hold the coaches from trying to break away from the club’s current set up, Tovey said the relationship between the duo would be the determining factor.
Downs have been devastating this season, garnering 25 points, unbeaten and yet to concede a goal after nine games.
“It’s up to the coaches. Rulani tried it. Steve has been a stand-alone coach and so has Manqoba. At this stage they are employed by Sundowns and they must realize their job description. They will have a chance again to become the head coach,” Tovey said.
“The co-coaches at Sundowns are fortunate because they have a really great crop of players, but that doesn’t always bring success. You’ve got to bring them together and make sure there’s synergy in the team and egos are taken care of. With great players comes egos, and there’s difficulties in that, when you have a team that’s young and vibrant with egos.”