The Sunday News
Zenzo Moyo
WE should go back to the basics. In the past, clubs would sign players and coaches would work with the pool of players they would have found at the club.
I feel coaches of nowadays have been given too much power to sign players of their choice and backroom technical staff of their choice.
Personally I feel that’s what is killing our football. Why am I saying this? It is because the coach will choose his technical team that will be saying yes boss to him and not challenge him on decision making.
Whereas in the past the club would come up with a team structure that has almost everything, if not everything, and the coach’s job would be to come and work, compared to now where the head coach will go as far as recommending the team bus driver.
The structure that the coach would find will be from team manager, assistant coach, team medic, goal keepers coach and players. And he would simple continue working with them.
This team will be knowing the culture of the club, playing style and what fans like. The most important thing here is the philosophy, it must be on the same page with club ethics.
Coaches bringing their technical team members and new players affect team performance. Why? It is because the same people forget that they are working for the club, and not the coach. When the coach moves the same people won’t accept the change, in this case the new coach who takes over. It’s important for clubs to sign players who will be taught the club culture and value and after that the coaches’ philosophy comes second.
In a nutshell, players here in Africa tend to forget that its club first. Unlike in Europe, players in Africa when they score they run to the coach, whereas in Europe they kiss the badge.
In Europe it works for them, first they know the value of the player before they sign him, they hand pick their people in relationship with team values.
Players in Europe can play a match after receiving a bereavement call in the dressing room, but in Africa a player can have a toothache or hear that a neighbour has died and not play a game.
We are not psychologically strong. In conclusion, clubs must know that their personnel should adapt to their culture and that will not push them backwards in terms of progress.
Until next time, I will be telling it as it is without fear and favour. Stay blessed.
