“Carling Black Label Cup” - Bra P’s opinion

I have never took a liking of the Carling Black Label Cup; I could never really understand the hype around it.  As a football fan, I am hugely insulted by this gesture.  I share so much with what Vladimir Vermezovic (Kaizer Chiefs coach) said and I would like to add on to it.

Football is being played somewhere in the world, as we speak there is a game starting and there is a game ending.  The difference is Professional Football is a little different; it incorporates other factors like, Infrastructure, Media, Management, Agents, Sponsorships, Technical team, Playing Staff, Backroom Staff and The Fans.

Those factors are very important to the cause that makes this game the best viewed in the world.  It seems that we as South African fans we are that arrogant that we feel we need a place in the many structures of the game.  As a fan, your role is simple, be a supporter of the game… in anyway, form, shape or size… also respect the other factors of the game, you are not a player… you are not a coach, damn… you are not even an assistant coach.

I understand why as a fan we feel like we should be coaches… maybe it is because the other factors do not recognize how important we as fans are… it seems we are more on the bottom end of the food chain.  Reality check… everyone feels like they could be high up when we should strive to work together.

Now getting back to the Carling Black Label Cup… as much as this is pre-season, the aim here is to prepare the team for the upcoming season… it does not mean just the players, but the coach and his technical staff has to prepare and work towards gearing and making a team as COMPETITIVE as possible. 

As a coach, you have to create a harmonious efficient team that is built on players strength and weakness, also to ensure that they work together as a team/unit to achieve a goal.  Given that when you are the coach, you use your knowledge of your players to best create that COMPETITIVE SPARK.

Now with the Carling Black Label Cup, it takes away the opportunity for the coach to prepare for his own sake… it gives nothing to the coach and all it tells us is FOKOL (nothing) about the team going forward.

If fans are so desperate to coach… let them take up coaching lessons with SAFA or take good care of your local U12 team… this is a professional outfit, people’s lives and careers depend on this.  This is their livelihoods and this is what they have worked hard for… and a fan, who by the way, has his own job elsewhere decides not to do what they did but take a SHORT CUT via an sms competition???

If SAB is desperate for people to be coaches, then let them offer coaching courses… lord knows we need them.  Take a look at last season, top 5 teams in the league and only 1 is locally born is the 5th best coach in the Premiership.

This is yet another business decision that largely benefits SAB with all the sms sent… and no one else. (All it does is alienate other players by providing a popularity contest more than anything)

By Bra Pule