DON'T TINKER WITH TINKLER: why Orlando Pirates should stop the foreign imports and appoint their caretaker

FOUR GAME STREAK: Pirates caretaker boss Eric Tinkler

ON Saturday at 2.30pm, if there is any justice in the football world, Eric Tinkler will lead Orlando Pirates out for the Soweto Derby as the club’s PERMANENT coach.

Tinkler, twice caretaker/interim/stand-in boss, deserves at least that, though I am writing this before Pirates versus Free State Stars tomorrow night.

Still just 44, the nuggety midfielder played at the top level in Portugal, Italy and England not to mention his 48 games for South Africa. He was a tough opponent on the field and as Benni McCarthy found out after the 2011 Telkom KO final, Tinkler has transferred that passion to the coaching role.

The paragraph that annoyed Wits boss Gavin Hunt before his side's 1-0 win over Mamelodi Sundowns tonight: "The title-holders have two relatively easy matches this week against Bidvest Wits and Free State Stars while the runaway leaders will be engaged in tough encounters at home to both Ajax Cape Town and an Orlando Pirates outfit that suddenly believes the title is no longer out of reach."

The article in the Star newspaper, written by my old pal Matshelane Mamabolo served only to motivate Hunt's men. He said: "They have no respect. The Star article said it would be Sundowns easiest game.


"It didn't come from the Sundowns officials, it came from the journalist himself. We put it up on the dressing room wall. Sheez, they show us no respect."


Link to full article here: http://www.iol.co.za/sport/soccer/psl/title-race-could-get-interesting-1.1826345#.VPYQqnyUcXE

The curious tale of Orlando Pirates: champions of self-destruction and bounce-backability

The happy couple: the awkward meeting of VV and Dr Khoza

In all my travels, all my reading, all my enthusiastic football watching on five continents, I have never come across a club quite like Orlando Pirates FC.

The Buccaneers.  The Sea Robbers. The Happy People. Love and Peace. Once, Always. Before former player Kaizer Motaung came along with his Chiefs, they were the biggest and the best in South Africa. And long after that, in the post-democracy dream year 1995, they became the nation’s once and only winners of the African Champions League, reaching the final again last year.

Ah, the history. Founded in 1937 with the skull and crossbones logo (though, anachronistically, I’m told Orlando Boys Club were styled after the 1940 Errol Flynn film “The Sea Hawk”), run by modern-day Pirate Irvin Khoza, a team of trebles and sinister forces, incredible cup runs and inexplicable exchanges of both players and coaches.


I've been asked to highlight the key problems many times on the social networks. Here it is in a sentence: Dr Khoza only appoints coaches who he can control, men desperate for a another crack at the big time. Amazingly, it's worked quite well at times.

Do that make them rebellious? Reckless? It’s not as if the Soweto suburb of Orlando derived its name from a famous maverick. That particular area of the South Western Townships was named after Edwin Orlando Leake, Mayor of Johannesburg from 1925 to 1926.

I wrote a history of Soweto for my friend Vuyo Dewati a few years ago and had a look at “Mr Orlando” and his past. He wasn’t a bad fellow for a chairman of “Native Affairs”. He built two-bedroomed houses for the working class in 1932 with the intention of creating “a model township”.  Judge the result for yourself: vibrant hub or matchbox houses, you see what you choose to see when you visit their recently refurbished stadium.

There are more glamorous ways of looking at it. In Italian, Orlando means “fair land” (in English, Roland), Shakespeare named one of his “As You Like It” characters the Italian way; the city in Florida also has its buccaneers and by coincidence Hollywood even made Orlando Bloom one of their Pirates of the Caribbean.

But it's not really about the name. It’s the club and those bitter but beautiful Bucca Bucca fans of the modern post-World Cup era which must be addressed here.

Under “Dr” Khoza, the black-and-white half of Soweto is both self-destructive and bounce-backable: when they won their first treble under Dutch legend Ruud Krol in 2011 instead of celebrating a true resurgency they chose to sack the boss and draft in Julio Cesar Leal, because his brother was involved with the Brazilians running  Bafana Bafana at the time.

Incredibly, with Peruvian youth coach Augusto Palacios taking over from Leal in March, 2012, they went on to win a second successive treble the very next season, despite huge upheaval, mainly thanks to the controversial return to South Africa of record-breaking striker Benni McCarthy, who had been thrown out of Premier League club West Ham for being overweight.

Winners of the South African championship NINE times (NPSL 1971, 1973, 1975, 1976, NSL 1994; PSL 2001, 2003, 2011, 2012), Palacios only lasted six months despite his triumphs, with Roger de Sa – thrown out by Wits and in a dreadful state personally – the shock replacement.

But De Sa also defied the odds despite the mysterious departure of McCarthy, who forgot to tell the chairman he was leaving. #rogerthat took the club to the African Champions League final and after leading the initial recovery from relegation he headed south to Ajax Cape Town, where he has achieved minor miracles this season with a bunch of kids.

A picture tells a thousand words: Vermecovic

Incredibly, Dr Khoza ignored all precedent again when he named De Sa’s replacement in February this year: unemployed Serbian Vladimir Vermecovic, sacked by arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs in 2012, was signed up and we waited for his work permit with some trepidation as caretaker Tinkler kept the ship afloat.

Under VV, a harsh, unforgiving coach, Pirates have continued the incredible cup exploits they began under De Sa. They have reached the final of the last FIVE knock-out competitions entered, winning the Nedbank Cup at the end of last season but losing the MTN8 at the last hurdle this term. Despite my best efforts I have NEVER heard of a club ANYWHERE reaching FIVE successive cup finals.

Despite huge criticism, VV took the side to second in the PSL before last week’s unfortunate defeat against Clive Barker’s Mpumalanga Black Aces. After his hard-fought 2-1 win, the delightful Barker, a sprightly 70, could be heard post-match saying to VV: "You're still a young man. You'll go all the way." Vlad appeared far more concerned about going away altogether.

Anybody would think the Buccaneers were heading for the relegation trap-door the way the fans reacted. #VVout was trending on twitter. His stubborn failure to select Kermit Erasmus and Lehlohonolo Majoro together in his starting line-up has proved hugely unpopular. Even the unbeatable Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa in goal took more flak than President Zuma threatening to build a second homestead.

Incredible stuff. Your side are SECOND in the league. They’ve reached FIVE consecutive cup finals. And the entire side were lambasted over a single result. Nobody escape the wave of ire from the Bucca Bucca fans. There were even threats to lynch VV and a constant stream of tweets purporting to herald his return to Belgrade.

But it’s not suprising. A quick review of Dr Khoza’s decisions explain all. Krol, Leal, Palacios, De Sa, caretaker Eric Tinkler and VV were all strange decisions. Huge risks. And we all know about the “sinister” selection process with Floyd Mbele and Screamer Tshabalala pulling the strings behind the scenes while the coach pulls his hair out.

Good youngsters leave, uncontracted veterans stay; Majoro’s arrival, having signed for SuperSport United, went uninvestigated while Tlou Segolela is scoring for the reserves despite a big salary, Lennox Bacela has been forgotten and the back-four failures are now compounded by Rooi Mahamutsa’s apparent fall from grace.

Anybody remember how Andile Jali left for Belgium? When the club put out a message saying he’d gone AWOL? Like I said, I’ve never known a club like Orlando Pirates.

The problem is, Pirates are run by the same man who runs the PSL and – until Danny Jordaan’s election as President – the South African Football Association. There is a perception Pirates can do as they like. Repeated fan problems are brushed under the carpet. Dr Khoza, who apparently now has a blood link to Bobby Motaung at Chiefs (as well as President Zuma), simply keeps the big sponsors backing the Soweto giants.

Khoza knows he can appoint who he wants to run the club, all will be fine. His son Nkosana, destined to take over a club that changed hands under strange circumstances in the early 1990s; is waiting in the wings as his father’s business empire grows in to other sectors and far-flung northern nations.

Let VV do as he wishes. If the noise gets too loud, he’ll find another coach. Dr Khoza is a gambler, a big wheel. Vodacom, Carling and ABSA aren’t really interested in who wins what, only the grand Soweto giants count.

As one of their former coaches (we dare not name him) told me: “Every coach Pirates appoint would resign after a month if it wasn’t for the fact the club is run by Dr Khoza. Orlando Pirates is the hottest hot seat you’ll ever sit in.”

It won’t change. Any critique of Dr Khoza is met with fury and even death threats on the social networks. Pirates might surge to the championship or slip down in to the doldrums under VV. It’s hard to tell given his unforgiving, tactically cautious approach which has seen the excellent Oupa Manyisa reduced to a shadow of his foraging self.

Either way, Orlando Pirates will be fine. The money will come pouring in. Whether the fans like it or not. They haven’t mattered for quite a while. And they haven't turned up in numbers for a some time.

HISTORICAL ANALYSIS: The BBC's take on Dr Irvin Khoza:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/4085683.stm and http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/2188671.stm

A shorter version of this story will appear as my Neal and Pray column in www.thenewage.com. 

Football heaven for a Gooner on the Indian Ocean surrounded by Pirates

There's no point pretending. For me, Saturday by the sea in Durban was footballing heaven in a city where the diski sun doesn't always shine (just ask Golden Arrows).




It started early with the Super Rugby Sharks overcoming New Zealand's Crusaders despite red and yellow cards. An historic win to enthuse the locals, of which I was once one in the distant days of Umlazi's Bush Bucks.






Then to the sold out Moses Mabhida Stadium, where all roads were festooned with black and white.



Playing in a record FOURTH cup final this season, the Buccaneers went behind early but fought back to win 3-1 with Kermit Erasmus, a Nedbank Cup final loser with SuperSport United a year ago, the two goal hero.






Then to Europe where my beloved Arsenal, without a trophy since their penalty shoot-out win over Manchester United in 2005, found themselves 2-0 down to lowly Hull City's Tigers after eight minutes at Wembley.






Santi Cazorla crashed home the first response, Laurent Koscielny forced the game in to extra-time and Aaron Ramsey produced the epic winner to send the Gunners home happy and push me to the top of the twitter trends in distant Johannesburg.






And at the same time, Diego Simeone's unfancied Atletico Madrid held Barcelona 1-1 to clinch La Liga with a Champions League final against city rivals Real to come.



There were cup finals in Scotland, Germany and elsewhere we could mention, but in truth those three epic games concludes a lively season for most football-speaking South Africans.



Arsenal and Atleti will welcome a long-awaited return to ascendancy (as I write this next to the Indian Ocean, Arsene Wenger's trophy drought stands at around 22 hours) but it Dr Irvin Khoza who may be the most relieved man of all.



The controversial owner of our plundering Piratesmust have been wondering what had happened to his double-treble winners over the last couple of seasons.



With all those games in hand after the African Champions League we might have expected something slightly better than fourth in the PSL (they finished third last season) and the return of Vladimir Vermezovic looked like a serious problem.



But what was it VV said when the reached this fourth final? "These boys know how to reach finals, I know how to win them."



That proved more than an idle boast. Adding up those four finals (MTN8, Telkom KO, African Champions League and Nedbank) I reckon the Buccaneers added a cool R20m to their coffers this season.



And with Kaizer Chiefs stumbling when it mattered, a single come-from-behind triumph turned everything around for the Pirates - just like it did for Arsenal and Atletico.



But Simeone's troops still have the Champions League final to come. That's quite a big but. in any language.

A crime of passion: why Pitso's tears are not a sign of weakness but determination

The pain of defeat: Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane

In football, what goes around comes around. Just ask Pitso Mosimane, still top of the PSL today but harshly ejected from the Nedbank Cup on Saturday.

Tomorrow night, Mosimane but shake off the tearful cup hangover and resume league action against Clive Barker's in-form Mpumalanga Black Aces while champions Kaizer Chiefs go to lowly Polokwane City.

But what exactly HAPPENED to Mosimane’s Masandawana at the weekend? They were giving Orlando Pirates hell at Loftus Versfeld, seeking a winner after coming back from an early penalty to level the quarter-final at 1-1.

And then along comes Daine Klate to curl in a free kick which miraculously bounced through defenders and offenders alike to sneak in to the corner of the Sundowns net past the otherwise faultless Zambian goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene.

Yes, like a football in motion, like the spherical world we live in, the universal game had turned full circle. A week before, when Teko Modise’s curling, bouncing chip in to the box confounded Kaizer Chiefs and Itumeleng Khune, we were left to celebrate a glorious stroke of luck rather than a sensational winner.

It’s what happened after Klate’s goal that fascinates me.

The way I see it, Pitso came out and took it on the chin. Desperately seeking to become the first black South African to lift the PSL title out of Kaizer Chiefs’ jaws; what Mr Mosimane SHOULD have said was: “Well done Orlando Pirates, good luck in the semi-finals, we will concentrate on the league.”

What he actually said was: “Good game. I’m just disappointed because of the result, but not the game. The only substitutions I had to make were forced substitutions. The boys played well but this is football hey, you can't have it all hey?

“I'm not surprised their goalkeeper Senzo (Meyiwa) was the Man of the Match. That tells you the story of what happened here."

"I mean there is a player at Pirates, he is on the floor every minute, what is this? The next thing he shoots the ball and then it's a goal. Nah … let's have professionalism. We lost not because of that, but integrity is important, you know.

At this point Marawa prompted “Do you mean Daine Klate” but Pitso refused to name names. He added: "The foul for the free-kick, the man got injured and they called for a stretcher. The man is injured. He is the same man who is not injured who kicks the ball. I mean how many times is the player on the floor? Just watch him, just see. He gets so injured, it's unbelievable, but within a second, he plays.

"You know, other guys are playing very well, no doubt about it, a hard game, and they take it. Ha, but that player, he is too much on the floor. He must play football.

"But there is a player who is always on the floor, you touch him a little bit, he rolls like he's been shot, from the top. The next minute, he continues to play. No ... this is a man's game, let's all play. Look at Manyisa, look at Ntshumayelo, these boys are strong, they play, they are not on the floor every minute, every second .. what is this?"

Klate, never named by Mosimane, responded: “There’s no hard feelings. I’m not taking it personally. I know Pitso very well, I have a lot of respect for him, he was emotional. I focus on football, not what is said off it.”

  

Tears or fears: Mosimane

The social networks after the game were laughing over a picture which appeared to show Pitso with tears in his eyes. I came out stoutly in his defence, pointing out: “At least Pitso cares, at least he has passion.”

And there were the Orlando Pirates fans, after a hugely fortunate win, crowing over Mosimane’s discomfort. But here’s the question: Who would YOU rather have in charge: A failed Vladimir Vermezovic returning to South Africa and scrabbling for a work permit after failing with Kaizer Chiefs (where he left several people in tears), or a passionate Pitso Mosimane, achieving what even Dutch legend Johan Neeskens couldn’t manage at Chloorkop?

I know what my answer would be. I like Pitso. I admire his passion, the way he says it as he is. And if you need further evidence, just have a look at the PSL. Who’s top? Who’s SEVENTH? There’s the truth, right there.

The title remains in the balance. Tomorrow anything less than a win over Aces - with Chiefs by no means assured of picking up three points at Polokwane - will cut deep for Pitso again. Can he handle the pressure? With Steven Gerrard, Oscar Pistorius and Bubba Watson all reduced to tears over the past four days of sport, I believe he can.

BOLLOCKZ! my innovative football show on www.ballz.co.za airs every Thursday from 9am-11am. See Ballz' channel for our growing library of fascinating football interviews with the big names. 

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice.

SOWETO DERBY SPECIAL: Willard Katsande, the industrial diamond, puts Kaizer Chiefs a cut above the rest

Rare diamond: Willard Katsande about to score the
Soweto Derby winner yesterday, with Senzo Meyiwa
beaten and Sifiso Myeni a mere spectator

SOME diamonds don’t sparkle. Some diamonds are industrial. Some diamonds are forged in the depths of the earth for drilling and grinding.

While their expensive cousins sit on the end of gold pendants and draw admiring looks for doing very little, the industrial diamond - tougher than any other substance known to man - simply cuts through the crap and does the job.

I put it to you m’lady: Willard Katsande is an industrial diamond. But as 90000 witnessed at Soccer City on Saturday, he’s a gem none-the-less in Kaizer Chiefs’ glittering array of double-winning sparklers.

Look, it’s no good pretending Stuart Baxter’s tactical genius won the Soweto Derby on Saturday. Or blaming former Kaizer Chiefs head coach Vladimir Vermerzovic for dropping Happy Jele and Thabo Matlaba.

It’s no good pretending the latest clash between the Soweto rivals was a classic, though the last half-hour was pleasantly hectic as Kaizer Chiefs held out for a telling 1-0 triumph.

And, Lehlohonolo Majoro, you really can’t blame the AmaKhosi for booing you after that controversial flit between South Africa’s two biggest clubs.

Forget all that. This was Katsande’s day. The man I described on twitter on Friday as “the best player in South Africa this season”. Blimey, did I take some stick for that one. After the game, typically, he had little time for self-embellishment. Industrial diamonds don’t bother with all that pretty stuff.

“We stuck to the game plan,” he growled, “We worked hard, we worked as a team. I did my job. But it was nice to get a goal at last. It was long overdue but it was an important one.”

Before the start on Saturday I sent Mbax an SMS complimenting South Africa’s most successful current coach for picking “a positive line-up” which included all THREE of the big guns he dropped for 2-0 midweek defeat against Platinum Stars at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

Having seen his 17-game unbeaten run since November 5 ended by Allan Freese’s men, Baxter put Knowledge Musona (the nation’s top scorer with 13 goals in all competitions), Bernard Parker (the PSL top scorer with 10 League goals) and Kingston Nkatha in his starting line-up. Goals aplenty loomed.

The truth is, it didn’t quite work. Buccaneer Mpho Mokola worked like a whirlwind in a first half where, against all the odds, Pirates actually had the upper hand. With Oupa Manyisa and Kermit Erasmus also doing good work, Chiefs were wobbling at times in a dullish opening 45 minutes.

Though stand-in goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse made two comfortable saves, only one Chief really stood up to be counted in the opening stanza. I like to call him “KARDSANDE” due to Willard’s reputation for gaining a yellow card in every appearance as he charges around the midfield keeping control, regaining possession, winning the ball, keeping it.

So it was only right that South Africa’s premier defensive midfielder should score the only goal in front of 92,000 people on Saturday.

It was no rip-roaring snorter. And it was his first in 67 games in the PSL. Simphiwe Tshabalala’s corner was probably too close to Senzo Meyiwa. But Nkatha blocked the keeper’s route to the ball and Katsande popped up on the far post to scramble the ball home.

After his first EVER goal celebration in South Africa, the 28-year-old Zimbabwean returned to his day job and spent the frantic last 30 minutes doing what he does best: snuffing out the Buccaneers as they desperately sought the equaliser.

There were times when he tackled with his shins, cleared with a rogue knee or blocked with the back of his head. But Katsande, born in Mutoko on January 15, 1986, never gave up. Spotted by Bobby Motaung while playing a friendly for Zimbabwe v Zambia in 2011, Katsande’s arrival at Naturena in from Ajax Cape Town two years ago didn’t make much of a ripple in the transfer waters.

But having tackled himself to a standstill in a shock 1-0 win over mighty Egyptians Al Ahly in 2010 for Gunners FC, Katsande already had an established reputation as a Makalele defensive midfielder to the north of our borders. Gunners FC lost that African Champions League tie in Cairo but went on to win the Zimbabwean title with Katsande at the heart of their midfield in 2010.

Not that Katsande’s rise was meteoric. He started out as a teenager with Frontier Steel (2002–2005) and Feruka (2006–2007) before moving to Highway (2007-2009), a bunch of lads from Mutare renowned for their giant-killing exploits. That’s when the Gunners stepped in. The rest, as they say…

History of course, can take strange twists. Baxter sent me a two-word SMS after the Derby. It said simply “IMMENSE KATSANDE”, but he also admits: "I’ve told you this before, when I first saw Willard at training, I told (assistant coach) Doctor Khumalo ‘He can't play for Chiefs, he’s too reckless!’ But he’s worked so hard since then, he deserves all this.”

After Saturday’s Soweto Derby, Baxter chatted a bit about a poor first half and the changes he made at half-time. But then came the quote that mattered: “Yes, we packed the midfield. WITH ONE MAN. The guy over there with the Man of the Match award. Willard Katsande was incredible today.”

And that, in a nutshell, was the story of the Soweto Derby. With Bidvest Wits upset 3-1 by Free State Stars on Saturday night, who’s to say Katsande’s rare goal isn’t the most important strike of the season?

 BOLLOCKZ! my innovative football show on www.ballz.co.za airs every Thursday from 9am-11am. See Ballz' channel for our growing library of fascinating football interviews with the big names. 

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal & Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice and charity bets for our Wingzofchange charity!  

CLOSE SHAVES AND SOWETO DERBIES: why Kaizer Chiefs will emerge triumphant in front of 90,000 on Saturday

Derby date: Majoro makes the switch

JUST when you thought it was safe to predict a solid Soweto Derby win for Kaizer Chiefs, along comes a wet Wednesday night in the PSL to put all prophesies on hold.

While Orlando Pirates – complete with new boss Vladimir “Work Permit” Vermezovic and substitute Lehlohonolo “Big Ballz” Majoro – sloshed their way to a 1-0 win over Moroka Swallows in the "original" Soweto derby, Platinum Stars ended the AmaKhosi’s four-month streak with a comprehensive 2-0 win at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

Shock swept the nation, much like the monsoon currently engulging us. Chiefs, unbeaten since Ajax Cape Town on November 5, went in to the game against Allan Freese’s unsung heroes on the back of an emphatic 7-0 African Champions League triumph over Mozambique champions Liga Muçulmana with Knowledge Musona slamming a quick hat-trick in Maputo.

This was supposed to be No 18. Stuart Baxter, who won the PSL and Nedbank Cup double in his first season at Naturena last year, completely under-estimated the Fokeng Crocodiles, ignoring the fact Dikwena had gobbled up the MTN8 and Telkom KO silverware before Christmas.

Mbax “rested” his three top scorers – Knowledge, Kingston Nkatha and the PSL’s hottest shot Bernard Parker – and opted to go with a rusty Katlego “Killer” Mphela up front on his own. Surprisingly, Wolverhampton-born Baxter also went with his infamous “three towers” formation with Morgan Gould, Tefu Mashamaite and Eric Mathoho forming a centre-back triangle, much like that one off Bermuda where people go missing.

Freese’s men never looked back. The impressive Siphelele Mthembu threaded his way through the trio of towers after just nine minutes to beat goalkeeping stand-in Reyaad Pieterse and free-scoring Malawian Robert Ng'ambi wrapped things up on the hour, chesting home the second on the far post.

Close shave: getting rid of the "Kaizer Chiefs unbeaten"
beard during BOLLOCKZ! at Ballz this morning

By then, the impatient AmaKhosi, gloating over their 17-match run of W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-D-D-W-W-W-W, were beginning to grumble. Even the arrival of Knowledge and Kingston failed to cheer things up. The leaders were well-beaten. The beard I started way back at the start of that run was GONE – I promised Stuart I’d shave when they lost, and I spent this morning presenting my football show BOLLOCKZ! while ridding myself of facial hair.

And throughout that high-quality clash in Fokeng, Orlando Pirates were producing a vital but unspectacular win at Dobsonville.

Kermit Erasmus, so poor in caretaker Eric Tinkler’s final game – a hugely disappointing 1-0 defeat at the hands of AmaTuks – did EXACTLY what he said he would and upped his game. The former SuperSport United man hit the post early on and then crashed home the only goal of the game to put a rare smile on VV’s face.

After his first game in charge, Vlad said before the gigantic clash against his former club: “It was the win we needed to lift the mood before the Soweto Derby. There is still a lot to be done. But I watched the reserves today, Klate, Sangweni and the rest are all ready to step up to the first team.”

With the Chiefs run broken and Pirates apparently rejuvenated by their new coach, those confident predictions of continued AmaKhosi success are scuppered. Mphela? He wouldn’t need Barry Roux to rid him of the “Killer” tag right now. He is entirely innocent, he hasn't produced a lethal shot in ages. For the first time this season, tough midfielder Willard Katsande was unable to halt the opposition’s flow, only Simphiwe Tshabalala appeared to be ready and willing on a difficult night in the North West.

And with the BIG ONE looming, it’s all going off. Majoro emerged after his brief first outing for Pirates since his controversial move from Chiefs to say he was prepared for the boo-boys at Soccer City on Saturday, eager to prove his point against his former team-mates. AmaKhosi captain and goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, officially out for a month after spraining his ankle before Bafana Bafana’s record 5-0 defeat against Brazil, is now rated 50-50 to play in front of 90,000 in South Africa’s showpiece. A miraculous recovery.

And then there was Zeca Marques, the crest-fallen Swallows boss, telling us: “There is no justice in football. Senzo Meyiwa was Pirates man of the match, he made two great saves in the second half. No way we should have lost that game.”

And Zeca’s right. Pirates weren’t that impressive. Chiefs will have their three big guns back on Saturday. Baxter knows defeat in the Soweto Derby will put dangerous Bidvest Wits right back in it if they beat lowly Free State Stars in the evening game on Saturday.

That combination of results will put the Clever Boys firmly back in the Hunt, as Gavin will point out: a game in hand, three points behind.

Baxter is well aware of that. Chiefs can’t lose on Saturday. Pirates aren’t good enough to beat them. But a draw might suit both parties. Me? I’m going for an AmaKhosi win with Parker, Musona and/or Nkatha back in the starting line-up.

But this is the Derby. Only a madman makes predictions when Chiefs play Pirates. Form counts for nothing they say. So I’m sticking to my guns: Chiefs 3-1.

Whilst I was shaving, also spoke to Danny Jordaan, the SAFA president about the future of Bafana Bafana and our women, Banyana Banyana, on BOLLOCKZ! this morning. The interview is HERE:

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 BOLLOCKZ! my innovative football show on www.ballz.co.za airs every Thursday from 9am-11am. See Ballz' channel for our growing library of fascinating football interviews with the big names. 

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal & Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice and charity bets for our Wingzofchange charity! 

TWO SHOCKERS FOR SOUTH AFRICAN FOOTBALL: VV installed by Orlando Pirates, Khune signs for Rooney agent Stretford

Tough choice: Vermezovic

Two shocking South African football stories broke this morning: first South Africa's top goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune announced he had signed for English agent Paul Stretford's Triple S Group, then Orlando Pirates said they'd appointed former Kaizer Chiefs boss Vladimir Vladimir Vermezović on a three-year deal to replace Roger de Sa.

Stunned isn't quite the word. Both stories are remarkable.

Here's the tweet from @iikhune_32_16 yesterday: "@dhl10 @WayneRooney @Kennethshep2 @MrGunny1963 Good to be part of the #TripleS family!"

Stretford’s Triple S Sports and Entertainment Group was formed after he left his previous agency Proactive over "huge and irreconcilable differences" involving FA misconduct charges and huge amounts of money surrounding Wayne Rooney’s transfer from Everton to Manchester United.

Stretford runs the agency with controversial former Newcastle United chairman Freddie Shepherd and his son Robert. Having left South African agent Jazzman Mahlakgane and spent six months with local agency MSC Sport, Khune is clearly at his wits' end when it comes to that big overseas move.

Sir Alex Ferguson once said: Stretford “was not the most popular man in the world – certainly at our club" when he tried to lure Rooney away from Old Trafford in October 2010.

Perhaps spurred by Andile Jali’s move to Belgium’s KV Oostende, Khune has clearly decided his only hope of playing in Europe is to sign for Stretford and his merry men. Best of luck with that, Itu. Stretford certainly fights hard for what he wants.

Even more shocking was THIS (complete with spelling mistakes, it’s Vermezović not Vermezonic) on the official Orlando Pirates website:

Orlando Pirates is pleased to announce the appointment of Vladimir Vermezonic as Head Coach.

VV has sgned a three year contract with the Club and is expected to start as soon as he gets his work permit. 

‘’I have unfinished business in South Africa. Orlando Pirates, a giant in African football, is offering me an opportunity to fulfil a dream of a lifetime. I am grateful for the opportunity” said Vladimir Vermezonic.

“I have had to study Orlando Pirates very closely from the other side. I am therefore not coming into an unknown environment. It should help because I know the supporters expect me to hit the deck running” added Vladimir Vermezonic.

“VV is not new to the South African condition. His hunger and discipline is impressive.” Dr Khoza, Orlando Pirates Football Chairman commented.

“In football, we are in the business of creating memories, history and leaving behind legacies that inspire generations to come. Coaches have become as much a part of this phenomenon as players. I wish VV a memorable and noteworthy career at Orlando Pirates Football Club” added Dr Khoza.

The Orlando Pirates Chairman, Dr Irivin Khoza, heaped praise and gratitude to the club’s assistant coach Eric Tinkler, who stepped in as caretaker coach when Roger De Sa resigned unexpectedly.

He said, “Eric is a ‘can do’ man that would rather fail doing rather than provide excuses. His work ethic is commendable. His commitment and hard work is not going unnoticed, I am confirming that Eric will continue in his role as assistant coach of Orlando Pirates Football Club”, concluded Dr Khoza.

Quite how the notorious VV, who left at least three Kaizer Chiefs stars in floods of tears during his largely unsuccessful time at Naturena from 2009-12 (a period during which arch-rivals Pirates won TWO TREBLES, he won the Telkom KO in 2009 and 2010) is supposed to solve the Buccaneers’ problems I’m not sure.

The 50-year-old Serbian is certainly renowned as a tough guy. With Stanley “Screamer” Shabalala and Floyd Mbele pulling the strings at a club which is imbued with what veteran captain Lucky Lekgwathi calls “sinister forces”, it’s going to be extremely tough.

VV returned to Partizan Belgrade when he left Chiefs in 2012 and after taking them to the top of the table he suffered a slump and was sacked in April 2013.

Just last week Dr Irvin Khoza was telling us the appointment of a new coach to succeed Roger de Sa was “not a priority”. My thought was that VV was a rushed appointment as Tinkler was about to decamp to Ajax Cape Town with his old mentor De Sa.

But De Sa is no closer to moving 1000km south and Tinkler has been assured he will stay on as VV’s number two. Very strange.

But hey. No room for more defamation suits. Best of luck Itu and VV. I think you may both need it!


BREAKING: here's the Bafana squad to play Brazil on March 5, Khune understudy is SuperSport United's Ronwen Williams, Thabo Nthethe remains in place after his move from Bloemfontein Celtic to Mamelodi Sundowns but no sign of Tower Mathoho or Tefu MashaMIGHTY, Bournemouth's Tokelo Rantie gets the call up front:

Goalkeepers: Khune, Williams
Defenders: Nthethe, Khumalo, Mkhwanazi, Xulu, Ngcongca, Mokeke, Matlaba
Midfielders: Furman, Dikgacoi, Tshabalala, Claasen, Serero, Jali, Manyisa, Patosi, Mbatha, Zungu, Kekana
Strikers: Parker, Rantie, Ndlovu


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Stuart Baxter has proved he talks the talk, but can the new Chief walk the walk?

STUART Baxter, take a bow. The new Kaizer Chiefs coach produced a consummate performance on Thursday Night Live with Robert Marawa and Mark Gleeson, good enough to convince the estimated 15 million Amakhosi that he is, indeed, a worthy appointment.

Blessed with that flat Wolverhampton accent, the 58-year-old glided through a reasonably low-heat grilling from the smooth Mr Marawa and his 6ft 5in sidekick Mark Gleeson, a man I first introduced to the intricacies of South African football some 27 years ago when we were working together in Durban.

In fact, Baxter has done the rounds very nicely. Appearing in all the right places, talking to all the right people.

Going on Marawa was a master-stroke, especially when Mandoza is providing top quality musical accompaniment.

Neatly introducing himself as a coach with more in common with the usually successful Sir Alex Ferguson rather than the sometimes competent Roy Hodgson, he told us: “Like Sir Alex, I enter every competition believing I can win it. With Kaizer Chiefs I will be disappointed every time we don’t win a trophy.

“I am used to working under pressure.”

Nice line.

He followed that with this neat assessment of player power at Naturena, where Vladimir Vermezovic fell prey to the connection between chattering Chiefs and their general manager, Bobby Motaung.

First he dealt with the incumbent coaching crew, including the ever-popular Doc Khumalo and Donald “Ace” Khuze: “From what I saw in the win over Ajax Cape Town on Wednesday, I am happy with the technical staff. We have to keep a balance, I won’t be shooting from the hip.”

Phew! Imagine if he thew Doc and Ace to the wolves!

As for the revolt which ultimately sent VV back to Serbia, where he belongs: “A big word for me is respect. I respect what I’ve seen from the players so far. When it comes to the erm… more experienced stars, I will respect them if they work hard. We have to enjoy working together. That is important.”

Baxter also revealed that his role at Chiefs will be “two-pronged”. He explained: “I haven’t been given any targets but I do have to pay attention to youth development too.

“In my discussion, it was made clear that a big part of my job will be sorting out the academy over the next two years. You can’t turn round to the fans when you have won nothing and say: We have a couple of good youngsters coming through. But you also can’t win a trophy and then it’s over. You have to improve. Development of young players is important at a club like Kaizer Chiefs.”

In Soccer Laduma, there are encouraging words from Baxter too. The man who coached Bafana Bafana without great success a decade ago admits: “I feel I have unfinished business in South Africa. I don’t think the ending of my last job here was right. I have a chance to change that.

“I am talking to a lot of people, finding out things. I’ve got about 25 DVDs to go through. I want to hit the ground running.”

But hold on, what about his captain and goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune going public with the popular craving for a local kingpin in Soweto? Baxter produced a neat deflection around the post: “The coach who gets it right gets support from everyone, no matter where he’s from. Players want to win things. I know and understand that.”

And as for the actual approach to take perhaps the biggest job in South African football, Baxter was able to balance his desire for a top job – he was “assisting the coach” at AIK in Sweden since leaving the Finland national role over a year ago – and the great Kaizer’s need to go overseas for yet another unspectacular appointment.

Baxter said: “Let me put it like this. In the modern world of football, you get to hear from people. I was made aware that Kaizer might want me for the job and I made it clear I’d be interested. That’s how it happened.”

All pretty slick from a man who has travelled the footballing world, from England’s Under 19s to South Africa’s Bafana, from Japanese hopefuls to Scandinavian champions – repeatedly – much like new England boss Hodgson.

On what we have seen so far, I like him; so do most of the Amakhosi who have seen and heard from the man since his appointment. But here’s my problem. When it comes to the nitty-gritty, the signing of top class players, the extent of Baxter’s glib deflection becomes apparent.

Though under reasonable pressure from Gleeson and Marawa, he went unchallenged when he gave this answer regarding new players: “I am having an important meeting tomorrow regarding that.”

Clang! That’s when the alarm bells started going off. Surely, if this widely experienced coach had done his homework he would have heard that South Africa’s biggest, richest club failed to make a signing in the January transfer window – unless you count the re-signing of star man Siphiwe Tshabalala on a new contract.

And he might have heard that Bobby “I didn’t need a CV” Motaung proclaims himself the orchestrator of transfers at Chiefs – as well as the judge and jury on coach versus player tiffs.

It was at this point, I would have asked Baxter just how he intended to deal with the dad-and-son, Kaizer-and-Bobby situation. How he intended to assert his personality where so many others have failed.

And I would have asked him why he was waiting for “a meeting tomorrow” before hearing about how much buying would take place during the off-season. Surely he would have received reasonable guarantees before he took the job… unless he was desperate for gainful employment and took the job on the cheap, promising to create a new generation of Chiefs while simultaneously winning titles.

Gleeson, sharp as always, said Baxter must produce a top three finish in his first season – and the title in his second. He appeared ruffled by that, apparently unaware of just how rare a Chiefs championship has been of late.

Baxter gives off the air of a man for whom words are inexpensive. An journeyman football coach eager to get his hands on one of Africa’s biggest franchises.

He makes promises he hopes to keep. Not firm Amakhosi-warming guarantees. His message: “I want to bring bragging rights back to the Chiefs fans. Arsenal fans are in the same position. They’ve had those rights taken from them. I can’t promise that I will bring 10 trophies in the first few season, but what I can promise is that every player who wears the jersey will do it with pride.”

Another great line, Stuart.

There’s no denying Baxter, in the space of less than a week, has reassured a lot of black-and-gold guilded followers.

Those – like me – who suggest he’s the cheap option next to some worthier, more famous candidates, must accept it’s unfair to carp before a ball has been kicked in Baxter’s name.

But in football, as in life, talk is cheap. I remain unconvinced. But, as with Roy Hodgson being over-promoted to England boss, we live in hope. Baxter could yet bring the glamour back to the Amakhosi brand. He certainly talks the talk. But can he walk the walk?

Komphela? Matthaus? Gullit? No, the new Kaizer Chiefs boss is... Stuart Baxter.

SO much for a little bit of excitement at Kaizer Chiefs. Lothar Matthaus’s CV has been submitted, Ruud Gullit’s shadow has been lurking over Naturena. But today, back to earth with a bump; we are told former South Africa boss Stuart Baxter is set to be named as the new coach.
The 58-year-old Scotsman is not confirmed, but both of the major South African football websites, www.kickoff.com and www.soccerladuma.com seem convinced – and the Wolverhampton-born journeyman has been spotted with Amakhosi founder Kaizer Motaung and his son-cum-mismanager Bobby in recent weeks.
Darn. Steve Komphela, a former Chief and local, has had a great season with Free State Stars and looked a great choice to take over from the current caretakers Doc Khumalo and Donald “Ace” Khuse. Clearly Komphela’s new role as assistant to Pitso Mosimane took precedence. Or did Kaizer just not fancy a local coach?
A new chief for the Chiefs appeared a must after the string of defeats which followed the departure of hard-line Serbian Vladimir Vermezovic a month ago. The upset win over leaders Mamelodi Sundowns last week was never going to be enough, though Chiefs could conceivably still finish in the top three.
So what do we know of Baxter? Is he better than Komphela… or Germany’s 1990 World Cup winning captain Matthaus? Or even the smooth-talking Gullit, generally unimpressive as a coach but a clear rival in the fame stakes when it comes to Sundowns’ own Dutch boss Johan Neeskens?
As far as I can tell, Baxter was last employed as “an advisor to the coach” at Swedish club AIK after ending his Finnish international connection last year.
Born in Wolverhampton but claiming kilt-wearing Scottishness through his dad, Baxter played for Preston North End in 1973. He later moved north to Dundee United before returning to England with Stockport County. Baxter then moved to Australia, Sweden and the United States with South Melbourne FC, Helsingborgs IF and San Diego Sockers to extend a playing career which ended in 1983 at the tender age of 30.
Much like new England boss Roy Hodgson (more about me and him here http://www.neal-collins.blogspot.com/2012/05/did-i-ever-mention-i-was-coached-by.html) Baxter went to Viking country for his first adult coaching experience. And the Hodgson connections don’t end there.
After working with Örebro SK's youth team he became manager at Idrettsforeningen Skarp (don’t ask me to spell that) in Norway in 1986 but moved up in the footballing world pretty quickly when he went to Portugal’s Vitória de Setúbal a year later.
By 1988, he was back in Sweden, where Halmstads BK were still recovering from Hodgson’s departure. In his first year with Halmstad he guided them to promotion but two seasons later they were relegated and Baxter decamped to Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima before joining Vissel Kobe days after the earthquake of 1997. He worked out of a caravan as the club’ headquarters had been destroyed.
A year later, he was back in Scandinavia, this time with some success, winning the title with AIK before taking on Barcelona, Arsenal and Fiorentina in Champions League qualification. Sadly, they finished bottom of this particular group of death.
By the turn of the Millennium, he was with Norwegian side Lyn Oslo. But interesting times loomed.
Baxter took his first coaching job in England in 2002, when the Football Association asked him to coach England’s Under 19s; he was doing okay back in Britain... then South Africa made him Bafana Bafana boss.
He looked a fair appointment; experienced, FA backed, urbane. But qualifying proved fruitless, South Africa failed to make the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany, and Baxter left in the autumn of 2005 after just over two years in the Rainbow Nation.
True to form, Baxter found himself back in Scandinavia, after another short spell with Vissel Kobe in Japan. This time it was another former Hodgson club, Helsingborg. He got them to the knock-out stages of the 2007 UEFA Cup/Europa League, and then resigned to take over as Finland’s national manager, another job title he shares with Hodgson.
Throughout the post South Africa years, Baxter kept in contact with players and agents in the PSL, and – using his Celtic connections – he secured a trial for Mamelodi Sundowns striker Katlego “Killer” Mphela amongst others at Parkhead.
He was rumoured to be headed for Glasgow as Celtic’s technical director during the 2010 World Cup but chose to extend his contract with Finland, promising to lead them to Euro 2012 later this year.
Defeats against Moldova and Hungary dented those hopes. Finland slumped in the FIFA rankings from 33 to 86 - and in November 2010 they parted “by mutual consent” after an acrimonious fall out with the local media. He told them: “You don’t have the footballing knowledge to have a go at me.”
Though linked repeatedly with major Swedish club Malmo FF – the only Swedish side ever to reach a European final - Baxter and his goakeeping son Lee were last employed as “advisors” back at AIK in Sweden before establishing contact with Kaizer and Bobby Motaung.
Though there are highpoints on that lengthy multinational CV, Baxter’s appointment – like Hodgson’s – will not stir the imagination. A lot depends now on what happens to Doc and Ace… and who is brought in at Naturena to help Baxter in his bid to rebuild after the VV era. Personally, I’d have gone for Komphela. A former Chiefs and Bafana captain, as articulate as they come and tactically astute, he is the local choice most South Africans seemed to favour.
But as usual, Kaizer – and Bobby – have steered the family business in a cheaper, safer direction. I hope the nation’s estimated 15 million Amakhosi will be happy with Baxter. Like Hodgson, I wish him luck in his new venture. He too will need plenty of it.
You can read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za. Watch eNews (DSTV 403) every Monday morning at 8.15am for my weekend round-ups. And you can follow me at www.twitter.com/nealcol.