Sukazi Hits Back At Critics, Questions Standard Of Coaching

TS Galaxy Chairman Tim Sukazi says clubs in the Premier Soccer League should take heed of their example with head coach Sead Ramovic.

Galaxy have enjoyed an impressive start to their 2022/23 DStv Premiership season as they sit in second place with two draws, two wins, eight points without conceding a goal – a far cry from the team that had 13 points from their opening 17 games last season and avoided relegation on the final day.

But Sukazi, speaking at their training ground recently stated it’s been a collective effort led by their modern head coach Ramovic, with 13 clean sheets in 2022 the cornerstone of their turnaround, which is the most of any team in the Premier Soccer League during the same period.

He went on to advocate for UEFA Pro Licensed coaches, with Ramovic, who’s in his first-ever head coach role, was subject to intense scrutiny upon his hiring as the successor to Owen da Gama last year.

“When Coach Sead Ramovic landed in our country, I was questioned as to his track record, I was questioned as to him never coaching before, his lack of experience, why this coach, this TS Galaxy job became his first head coaching job by the way,” Sukazi said.

“But then I put it bluntly out there, you can go back and check what I said. The arrival of Sead Ramovic in the country will prove to be a blessing for South African football. I did say that. And many didn’t understand, but fast-track to today, many now realise exactly what I was talking about.

“Bit by bit, I think South Africa stands to benefit to have a coach like this. I am advocating for a league, where the majority of our coaches in our league should be UEFA Pro License holders, if not the entire league.”

When questioned by journalist Velile Mnyandu about advocating the CAF Pro License, which is said to be now held in the same standard as the UEFA course, he suggested that it may not be the same level, but insisted that there should be a standard regulation of any Pro License holder to be able to coach in the PSL.

“Well, look, the levels are not the same, let’s be honest – yes they have a Pro, I’m talking the highest standard, the highest coaching in football standard in the world. I’m talking Pep Guardiola standard. I’m saying In Europe, you can’t take it away, in Africa we still lagging behind.

“I’m not [disregarding CAF Pro License], I’m saying UEFA Pro is the highest coaching standard in the world, I’m talking globally, not continentally, I’m sure the South Americans have their own thing or whatever, I’m just setting the highest standard for our league,” Sukazi said.

“If it so happens our league at least have CAF Pro [licesened coaches], it’s something, if you can’t UEFA Pro, if it’s CAF or UEFA, we need to standard for our league. You know how TS Galaxy was before this coach arrived. Now you know TS Galaxy today, you can see the difference and it’s the same squad.

“Ninety percent of the squad is the same, in the starting eleven of the squad, everyone is raving about… it’s only Vila that wasn’t with us last season – so it just shows you that if you can get the coaching to the right level. And prescribe it as this level or nothing [in our league] our game stands to benefits. So I’m advocating for the highest standards, CAF or UEFA Pro Licensed, let it be so.”