Malesela impressed at how quick Gallants mastered his philosophy | Breaking News

Marumo Gallants coach Dan Malesela has expressed how impressed he was at how Marumo Gallants swiftly mastered his philosophy. Malesela hit the ground running when he took over a Gallants side that was languishing at the basement of the league table in November.

A five-match unbeaten run set them on a pedestal, eventually finishing 10^th and going as far as the Nedbank Cup final, in which they lost 2-1 to Mamelodi Sundowns. Gallants produced four wins and one draw – with three successive victories – in Malesela’s first five matches. He has since explained that it was all down to the player’s ability to embrace how he wanted them to play.

“Coming from the bottom of the league to where we ended up and being in the final, it would be unfair if I said anything different. I am grateful for what the players did. It was the first time everywhere I coached, and it became so easy for me to plug in the philosophy. Within the first week, I could already see the signs; it doesn’t happen often. That’s why when I came in, our first game we won,” Malesela told the media. 

He, however, bemoaned how his teams often struggled to notch goals. “When the teams I coach play, it will always be difficult to create chances and score goals because most of the time, people come up with very tight defences knowing very well that it will be easy for us to open them up. 

“So yes, sometimes it’s decision making; I won’t say it’s for the lack of practising what we train. I’m very strict on playing football for playing football. I want my players to play football so that we can win. I want them to think about goals all the time, which is the most important thing. Unfortunately, sometimes they don’t go in,” he said.

Malesela added that he could not remember a game where his charges failed to create at least four clear-cut chances. “I don’t remember any match we played at this club where we created less than four chances, and I’m not saying half chances.” 

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