PHILOSOPHICAL Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela probably best described the coaching profession when he likened coaches to the biggest toilets in the world.
The talkative tactician has been quoted describing the life of a coach as “the biggest toilet in the world” as they are more often at the receiving end of angry club bosses and supporters’ anger when teams are not doing well.
“We are the biggest toilet in the world. Whenever we want to relieve ourselves it is the easiest to get rid of the coach,” he said while describing the unpredictable nature of coaching.
On the life of a coach, the former Bafana Bafana caretaker coach said: “Already there are two ways in coaching – entrance and exit; hired and fired.”
Because coaches can lose their jobs any time, many like Mthatha Bucks’ Ian Palmer choose to leave their families behind as they go from club to club.
“I'm constantly on the phone with my wife.
“That helps as well – early in the morning and in the afternoon – we’re constantly on the phone,” the Riverlea-born tactician said.
“I don't want to disrupt their lives as well. My two boys are big and at varsity but I've got a 10-year-old. It's not good to disrupt his life. I'd rather do the travelling up and down alone.”
Relocating a family might not be the best move for a coach as they might be out of a job within a few games like SuperSport United mentor Stuart Baxter found out when he left Chiefs for Turkey.
The former Bafana Bafana coach was axed just after two games in charge of Turkish outfit Genclerbirligi last year.
Mdantsane ABC Motsepe League side Tornado coach, Tshepo Motsoeneng said relocating with your family as a coach was not advisable.
He made an example of Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, whose wife Matilde Faria lives in his native Portugal.
“Mourinho is a well-known coach so who am I? As a coach you take a small bag as you can in the first two months because they are like probation.
“What happens if you take your family with and within three weeks you are fired? It is a tricky situation.
“When a coach moves his family, it is normally after he has achieved something with the team like gaining promotion, winning a league or trophy,” said the Reddersburg-born former Chippa United goalkeeper.
Motsoeneng said it is only well established coaches like Mamelodi Sundowns mentor Pitso Mosimane, who has achieved at every club he has been at, who can move with their families straight away.
Because of the unpredictability of sometimes trigger-happy bosses who fire coaches at will, some coaches hardly ever unpack their clothes as they know they might be shown the door at any time.
EC Bees assistant coach Mokete Tsotetsi also left his family in the Vaal when he initially joined the ABC Motsepe League Bhisho outfit as a player last season.
The former Bloemfontein Celtic and Kaizer Chiefs defender said being away from their families was not easy but they communicated everyday and visited one another.
“You can't have your family all the time as a coach because it’s not easy. The kids must have stability at school so you can’t just transfer the kids to other schools whenever you move. Coaches come and go so that ends up affecting the kids as well.
“Coaches can be fired any time so continuously transferring the kids will affect them in the long run, especially educationally because they have to focus at school,” he said.
“They can come and visit for as much as they can – that's the only way. The career we chose even as players we hardly spend time with our families because we travel a lot.”
Going solo name of game: Why soccer managers ride a rollercoaster without family by their side
The talkative tactician has been quoted describing the life of a coach as “the biggest toilet in the world” as they are more often at the receiving end of angry club bosses and supporters’ anger when teams are not doing well.
“We are the biggest toilet in the world. Whenever we want to relieve ourselves it is the easiest to get rid of the coach,” he said while describing the unpredictable nature of coaching.
On the life of a coach, the former Bafana Bafana caretaker coach said: “Already there are two ways in coaching – entrance and exit; hired and fired.”
Because coaches can lose their jobs any time, many like Mthatha Bucks’ Ian Palmer choose to leave their families behind as they go from club to club.
“I'm constantly on the phone with my wife.
“That helps as well – early in the morning and in the afternoon – we’re constantly on the phone,” the Riverlea-born tactician said.
“I don't want to disrupt their lives as well. My two boys are big and at varsity but I've got a 10-year-old. It's not good to disrupt his life. I'd rather do the travelling up and down alone.”
Relocating a family might not be the best move for a coach as they might be out of a job within a few games like SuperSport United mentor Stuart Baxter found out when he left Chiefs for Turkey.
The former Bafana Bafana coach was axed just after two games in charge of Turkish outfit Genclerbirligi last year.
Mdantsane ABC Motsepe League side Tornado coach, Tshepo Motsoeneng said relocating with your family as a coach was not advisable.
He made an example of Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, whose wife Matilde Faria lives in his native Portugal.
“Mourinho is a well-known coach so who am I? As a coach you take a small bag as you can in the first two months because they are like probation.
“What happens if you take your family with and within three weeks you are fired? It is a tricky situation.
“When a coach moves his family, it is normally after he has achieved something with the team like gaining promotion, winning a league or trophy,” said the Reddersburg-born former Chippa United goalkeeper.
Motsoeneng said it is only well established coaches like Mamelodi Sundowns mentor Pitso Mosimane, who has achieved at every club he has been at, who can move with their families straight away.
Because of the unpredictability of sometimes trigger-happy bosses who fire coaches at will, some coaches hardly ever unpack their clothes as they know they might be shown the door at any time.
EC Bees assistant coach Mokete Tsotetsi also left his family in the Vaal when he initially joined the ABC Motsepe League Bhisho outfit as a player last season.
The former Bloemfontein Celtic and Kaizer Chiefs defender said being away from their families was not easy but they communicated everyday and visited one another.
“You can't have your family all the time as a coach because it’s not easy. The kids must have stability at school so you can’t just transfer the kids to other schools whenever you move. Coaches come and go so that ends up affecting the kids as well.
“Coaches can be fired any time so continuously transferring the kids will affect them in the long run, especially educationally because they have to focus at school,” he said.
“They can come and visit for as much as they can – that's the only way. The career we chose even as players we hardly spend time with our families because we travel a lot.”
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