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Former Bafana Bafana captain Neil Tovey says communication will be extremely crucial for Mamelodi Sundowns’ new coaches, Manqoba Mngqithi and Rulani Mokwena, if the duo are to successfully negotiate the inevitable demands of their coexistence on the bench.
Tovey is more than qualified to make an assessment of the events at Chloorkop, as he was co-coach with Argentine Miguel Ángel Gamondi when Sundowns won the league title in 2006.
Mngqithi and Mokwena replaced the extremely successful Pitso Mosimane on Sunday after the greatest-than-life mentor joined Egyptian powerhouses Al Ahly in one of the most dramatic moves of a South African coach’s career a few days ago.
Sundowns manager Patrice Motsepe gave the two coaches a mandate to pick up where Mosimane left off and hopes they will maintain the club’s dominance in South African soccer. Tovey said the biggest challenge they face is making sure they speak with one voice, and also finding a way to discuss their differences behind closed doors rather than in public. “It’s about not having an ego, firstly, and secondly, it’s about understanding the role you want to find yourself in, and the role that everyone wants to prioritize,” he said.
“Obviously, you make collective decisions, but you could say ‘okay, let me focus on defense and maybe you can focus on offense.’
“These are all the different things you can do to make it happen much better. But collectively, of course, you have to think as one.”
The former Bafana captain and head coach of the South African Football Association said it would be important for the two coaches to maintain a unified front, especially in front of the players and the public.
“You can’t see that you’re crashing if you have different thoughts, what can happen,” he continued.
“Everybody sees the game differently and it’s about communication between them, and that’s extremely important. If you see things differently, then you can communicate and a decision needs to be made, and both of you need to be able to assume. responsibility for that decision.
“You can’t say ‘oh well Miguel it was your decision and I told you it was wrong, I am not responsible. No, it doesn’t work like that ”.
Gamondi came to South Africa in 2005 as an assistant to fellow Argentine Angel Capa, but was soon elevated to the bench when Motsepe appointed him as joint coach with Tovey.
The duo led the Sundowns to the league title the following year, beating the Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs to the finish line with 57 points.
Tovey said Mngqithi and Mokwena would need to quickly find their own balance and not lean too heavily on their predecessor’s plan.
“Fortunately they understand the players and the dynamics [of the club]“So I don’t think they will change too much from what Pitso was doing. Like you say, they were in the club before, like Miguel and me [in 2006]‚We still try to do our own thought processes though.
“They shouldn’t try to be like Pitso, they should be themselves.”
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