Former Kaizer Chiefs, Maritzburg United and Moroka Swallows coach Ernst Middendorp has slammed PSL coaches, saying there is no camaraderie and trust in between them.
Middendorp, who came close to winning the league title with Amakhosi in the 2019/20 season, says there are only a few exceptions such as SuperSpot United mentor Gavin Hunt, while he also has strong engagements with Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena.
The German tactician, who is an uncompromising figure who says it like it is, fought with many coaches in the PSL on the field, including with former Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane, who said his rivalry was like a war.
“There is no camaraderie between colleagues in South Africa. The bottom line is there is zero. Yes, and maybe it’s the age, because with Gavin Hunt I do engage,” he Middendorp told iDiski Times in edition 121.
“With Rulani Mokwena, everyone knows that I have been engaging with him over the years. But I can’t name many more apart from those who I’ve worked with, Maahier and Fadlu (the Davids brothers). The [Morgan] Mammilas and so on, there is no camaraderie. We stand across from each other and smile, but that’s not an honest smile.
“There is no camaraderie like it should be.”
However, he added that a lack of camaraderie has become a worldwide phenomenon, whereas in earlier times coaches invited each other for a glass of wine after matches, with Middendorp admitting it was a different generation.
“But it’s not just a South African issue, it’s a worldwide phenomenon,” added Middendorp, who won two trophies in the PSL.
“I think it was the generation of [Louis] Van Gaal, [Giovanni] Trapattoni, Middendorp, Hunt, [Christoph] Daum and so on… [Felix] Magath, [Jupp] Heynckes and many more, the camaraderie was high on the list, but that has also changed.”
Middendorp, who had two spells with Chiefs, four with Maritzburg United, and coached Chippa United, Golden Arrows, Free State Stars, Bloemfontein Celtic and Moroka Swallows, respectively, was recently appointed as the head coach of Singida Fountain Gate FC in the ambitious project in the Tanzania Premier League.
You can read the full interview with Middendorp in edition 121 on our website.
