Marumo Gallants head coach Dan Malesela has reacted to the praise he recently received from Pitso Mosimane.
Mosimane responded to an iDiski Times tweet following Gallants’ victory over Al Ahli Tripoli, a win that saw the Limpopo side qualify for the CAF Confederations Cup Group stage for the first time, saying that if there is one coach in South Africa who knows how to make a team dance it was Malesela.
Malesela was asked by iDiski Times writer Lethabo Kganyago in the current edition of the newspaper what Mosimane’s words meant and he said he is humbled and encouraged, adding that he is not only encouraged to continue doing well in the inter-continental tournament but to continue contributing positively to football in South Africa.
“It’s really humbling for me coming from one of the best if not the best in the continent. It’s really humbling and it’s encouraging to know that somebody who knows this job very well can identify somebody and say this one is doing a good job,” he said.
“I said to him that I’m very humbled and encouraged to say what else can I do? What else can I do to make football in the country better? It’s not only about the club it’s also about individual players that you try to make better”
“Also the standard of the league, that it should not be stagnant. We see it and we say obviously so and so is going to win and it shouldn’t be like that. There should be challenges from other people and other clubs irrespective of the resources we have.
“Yes we need resources but sometimes you look at resources financially, but you are fortunate to have players who listen and who have the understanding of what is really needed in football.
“I’m working to a stage where I want to see players be able to coach themselves when we play, they are able to fight among themselves and correct each other and counsel each other in whichever form. If you achieve that then you know you are getting somewhere.”
You can read the full interview in this week’s edition of the iDiski Times newspaper, which is out now at all Shoprite stores in Gauteng.