Dan Malesela says he left Royal AM because he feels, amongst other things, the co-coaching didn’t work for him, as he couldn’t give the team his own identity.
He added he wanted to remain true to his style of play, the high intensity and his inter-passing that suffocated many teams, which saw him win a trophy with TS Galaxy in the 2019.
Malesela resigned as Royal AM coach last week, as reported by iDiski Times, after joining the KwaZulu-Natal club at the beginning of the season to form a co-coaching trio with Khabo Zondo and Abram Nteo.
He has since been re-appointed as Marumo Gallants coach on Tuesday morning, the club he left at the end of last campaign after leading them to the Nedbank Cup final and opened up to this publication about his reasons.
“I resigned because I have my personal ambitions, and personal view in terms of me growing as a coach,” Malesela told iDiski Times.
“I wanted to do things in the way they should be done and if I’m co-coach then obviously ideas will not be entirely mine and we would have to share. I thought it was somewhat going to disadvantage me. So that’s why I opted to go, nothing else.
“I just wanted to grow and you know there’s an identity that goes with my coaching and you know about it. I felt I’m going to lose that identity if I continue at the club, and there was nothing else that was wrong.”
Malesela is going back to Gallants, who are the only club without a win in the Dstv Premiership this season, having collected just six points after eight matches.
While things are not looking good for Gallants, who parted with Romain Folz, Malesela says he can save the club just like he did last season.
“Obviously I wouldn’t have taken the job if I didn’t think things were possible,” said Malesela.
“The biggest reason is that, I thought it is possible and we can do something, and we can grow something here.”
In 20211/22, Gallants were languishing at the bottom of the table when Malesela was appointed in November to replace Sebastien Migne. He then helped the club finish 10th on the log and also reach the Ke Yona Cup final.
Story by Robin-Duke Madlala (@duke_robin).
Official: Malesela Lands New PSL Club
