Roger De Sa, the coach of current Glad Africa Championship leaders Cape United, says it’s good to be back on the bench, and he’s been highly impressed by the attitude of his new signings.
United have started the Glad Africa season with two good wins, 3-2 away against TS Sporting, and 2-0 at home against Free State Stars, and De Sa says that now the club are in their third season in the second tier, they have learnt a lot of lessons
“Yah, it’s going okay,” De Sa told iDiski Times, “Look it’s our third season, so we can’t be making the same mistakes, we now know what we’re coming up against.”
“We’ve always had a five year plan, it was always what was in the back of our heads, but we would like to get going, and if we can make up a little time, you know why not?”
The former Bidvest Wits, Orlando Pirates and Ajax Cape Town coach is happy with the team he has recruited this season.
“Look I think the way I went about it, was more like, who wants to come to us, who wants to be with us, who wants to wear this jersey.”
“And I kind of stuck to my guns a bit, with what the job pays, and if they want to sign, I said come, it’s organised, it’s structured, we’ve got a good training facility and a good medical staff.”
He’s brought in experienced players like Mark Mayambela, Tshepo Gumede and Michael Morton, and De Sa says they have shown their commitment to the cause already.
“There are some guys who’ve been really good. I mean Mark, I chatted to him, and I said listen if you’re not doing anything, come have a look. And he trained with us, for like three weeks, and eventually I said to him, Mark, when are you going to make the call, and he said no, I already have… I want to be here. And I put a piece of paper in front of him, and he signed, not even a negotiation.”
“Those are the type of people we’ve signed up. Tshepo very much the same, Manti (Mekoa) the same, Eleazar Rodgers, Michael Morton… he called me up, said he was in Cape Town, so I said come and train. He came around, and on the second day I asked him his intentions, and he said I want to stay here.
So I said okay, I put a contract in front of him, and he signed it.”
And being back on the bench as Coach, is De Sa enjoying it?
“Yah, the last two games, yes,” he laughs, “No of course I enjoy the training ground, being in the change room, that never leaves you, and I think the players help. Sometimes the players motivate me too, you know. Of course, I’m enjoying it, so far so good!”
