Former Bafana Bafana international Steven Pienaar has added another feather to his coaching cap after completing his professional coaching licence in Ireland.
The former Borussia Dortmund playmaker has confirmed that he is now a holder of the Pro-Licence Diploma, which he obtained from the highly-rated Irish Football Association.
“Thank you, Heavenly Father, for giving me the strength to keep going when I was doubting myself, so happy and proud of myself. Special thanks to my family for the support I got from them. Love you guys,” he said.
FARPost also had a glimpse of the ex-Everton and Tottenham Hotspur star’s qualification paper.
It reads: “This is to certify that Steven Pienaar born on 17.03.1982 has successfully completed the Irish Football Association Pro Licence Diploma,” reads a copy of the licence dated August 30 2022.
The 40-year-old embarked, a few years ago, on the long road to professional coaching as he is attached to the Ajax Amsterdam youth team in the Netherlands.
He started off his studies with the Uefa B and A, then got a coaching job at Dutch amateur side Robinhood before Ajax roped him into their youth team ranks.
Pienaar retired from a playing career in 2018, with Bidvest Wits being his last professional club in South Africa, where his career started off at the now defunct Ajax Cape Town FC.
The attacking midfielder captained Bafana Bafana. His playing career also saw him feature for Sunderland, but as far as England was concerned, it was at Everton where he created a huge memory marker.
He is among the latest South African coaches to obtain the highest coaching badge in the world, joining the likes of Benni McCarthy, who also acquired his papers from the same Belfast coaching school in Northern Ireland.
Apparently, the now Manchester United strikers’ coach encouraged Pienaar to study at the Irish FA coaching school.
Recently, Pitso Mosimane became the first South African to obtain the CAF Pro-Licence, which is equivalent to the European Pro-Licence.
