Simba SC head coach Fadlu Davids has hailed his SA technical team saying the side wouldn’t be where they are without their contribution, but moreover the club for allowing him to bring his trusted men.
Davids was appointed head coach of the Tanzanian giants at the start of the season, and he brought along with him a contingent of South African-born backroom staff including Darian Wilken as assistant coach, goalkeeper coach Wayne Sandilands, strengthening and conditioning coach Riedoh Berdien.
They have so far helped Simba reach the final of the CAF Confederation Cup and are currently second in their domestic league with 57 points from 22 games and four matches in hand.
Davids noted how the team has been together since their Maritzburg United days, went to North Africa and now are in the East delivering. The former Orlando Pirates assistant coach however believes management deserves more credit because a different team might have not been able to get similar results.
“I don’t think we’d be here in the situation where we are if it wasn’t for Simba allowing me to bring my technical team,” said Davids.
“Because we had three weeks in Egypt when we just arrived and immediately Simba day against APR a big club 60,000 and 17 new players coming in, dismantled the entire squad and signing young players.
“If I had that three weeks with a different technical team we might not have instilled our playing style, our playing philosophy in.
“Like I said coach Darian Wilken is an unbelievable football brain he’ll definitely be one of the head coaches in South Africa in future, and then of course I can go through Riedoh Berdien in terms of experience in Africa coaching national teams from a fitness side, coach Durell [Butler] from Swallows from last season doing our rehab. You saw today Chamou had a meniscus injury three and a half weeks ago and that rehab process to bring him back to close the game today in the centre-back position was unbelievable.
“And of course goalkeeper coach, analysts, it was very important that from the Maritzburg technical team we went to Rajah together, so it was plug and play when we went to Simba. And it was very important for us to hit the ground running like I said Simba day and one week later it was Yanga in the Community Shield. So, we had three and half to four weeks to be able to play the biggest game already, a derby to see where we are at.
“So, a huge credit to the technical team but of course also the club Simba for allowing me to bring in the technical team that’s able to do the job.”
