By Velile Mnyandu
Close to two years since the South African Football Association (SAFA) last had a permanent Technical Director (TD), the organization is few days away from confirming the person who will finally replace former TD Neil Tovey.
This was revealed during a SAFA press conference last week by the organization’s chairperson of the Technical Committee Jack Maluleka, who confirmed that by Thursday, 17 March, 2022, the identity of the new TD could be confirmed.
Tovey, a former Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs captain, AmaZulu and Mamelodi Sundowns-league winning coach (2005/2006), finished his five-year term in 2020 after having served as the TD from 2015 when he replaced Serame Letsoaka. Following Tovey’s departure, SAFA roped in the organization’s head of coaching education Frans Mogashoa to act in this positon.
Around April last year (2021), SAFA initiated a process to find Tovey’s permanent successor and following an unsuccessful search in house after a section 189 process, the position was advertised external but at a very reduced rate package as compared to previously as part of the cost cutting measures at the organization, which was struggling financially at the time.
SAFA CEO Tebogo Motlanthe told iDiski Times at the time that more than 100 candidates had applied for this position and three candidates were then shortlisted. They were former Kaizer Chiefs head of scouting Walter Steenbok, Mauritius Football Association (MFA) TD Zunaid Mall, who was also the technical advisor to the Council of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA) and a former SAFA technical officer in Gauteng, Joe de Oliviera.
These three candidates were then interviewed by an independent company that was tasked by SAFA to conduct interviews on a transparent and fair process to come up with the best candidate to drive the technical vision of the local football mother body forward.
It is believed that this independent company, had forwarded its recommendation of the successful candidate to the technical committee, which is the sub-committee of the SAFA national executive committee, the organisation’s highest decision making body, in between the congresses. And this is where the process stalled and Maluleka admits that they had their challenges.
“Yes, indeed, we were supposed to have finalized this appointment sometime last year. But as I mentioned earlier in the meeting held on the ninth (09 March 2022), this was the item that topped our agenda.
“Which, we understand that previously we tried to use all the resources that we have including zoom, which did not work for us. But as it was a process matter, as the committee we took a decision that the matter will be dealt with on the 17th.
“After we have finalized that, we will make that recommendation which will go to the NEC, where we will be informed about the person that the NEC will appoint,” confirmed Maluleka about the processes in the next few days, hopefully finally leading to an appointment of the new TD.
As part of the requirements for this position, which is one of the highest ranking in the organogram of the FA and reporting directly to the CEO, the successful candidate needed to possess:
- A Master’s Degree or NQF equivalent and an advanced football coaching license (CAF A License or its equivalent)
- 5+ years of experience in a senior management position
- Five years of experience as a national team coach or a professional Premier Division coach
- Proficiency in MS Office and…
- Extensive experience as a coach educator
Amongst the duties the new TD at SAFA is expected to perform, these include:
• To develop and maintain contacts with CAF’s coach education department to coordinate, implement, monitor and provide feedback on all matters pertaining to coach education;
• Due diligence regarding the status quo by making on-site visits to assess the structure, level of activity, coach education programs, including the quantity and quality of coaches and coach instructors, throughout the country.
• To plan and implement the Confederation’s coaching educational program to improve coach education at all levels;
• To organise, administer and coordinate the Confederation’s license courses, re- training courses and all other activities deemed appropriate and relevant to the development of coaching;
• To appoint technical study groups (coach instructors) to analyse trends and developments in football;
• To develop, implement and oversee a talent identification system for elite young players;
• To organise:
(i) courses, seminars and workshops for elite coaches and specialist coaches (youth, goalkeeper, women, etc.);
(ii) symposiums during and after major tournaments to update on the technical aspects of the game and the latest trends in football;
(iii) specialised courses for conditioning and football-specific sports science topics;
• To establish and maintain contacts with sports science experts and harness their expertise for the development of coaches;
• To liaise with universities, sports colleges, teacher-training institutes, educational institutions, etc., to introduce the Confederation’s and national coaching licensing schemes into their syllabus to qualify graduating teachers;
The salary package on the job advertisement of this position last year was listed on a salary scale of (R839 031 – R948 469) on a five year fixed term contract, which was a far cry from the package that Tovey was on, believed to have been over R2 million annually.
