When sports heroes retire, they must invariably — subconsciously at least — have slight anxieties about how best to preserve their legacy. They can either quietly fade from the limelight or they can risk all the good work they have done by seeking to achieve more in their sport. So what is one to make of Doctor Khumalo — widely regarded as among the finest of his generation — and his decision to take on a co-coaching role at Kaizer Chiefs?
Are we to witness the creation of the next Jomo Sono, a former great who has persevered and achieved reasonable success in coaching, or will ’16v†ruin it all by overstaying? National coach in 10 years or an average mentor of an amateur side? The next decade might just tell a fascinating story.
Just under two years ago, when he was still playing, he became defiant and irate when the question of when he would retire or what he might do after that was raised. He continually insisted that he ‘would go at his own time†and in a Mail& Guardian interview ahead of his milestone 50th cap for Bafana Bafana he ruled out the possibility of coaching
Yet, with hindsight it is safe to say that he was actually unsure. For, in the period since, he has drifted quietly from the line-up and assumed the technical role of being assistant coach. Now along with Ace Khuse, a man with whom he formed a devastating midfield partnership at Chiefs, he is co-coach. He commands among others John ‘Shoes†Moshoeu, his partner in a pivotal midfield axis in the national team’s golden years.
Marks Maponyane, a former professional footballer and now an analyst for SABC Topsport, points out how ‘there has been growth and a maturity of expression about [Khumalo]†in the past couple of years. Asked whether he shares the view that Khumalo is the greatest player of his generation, Maponyane notes, ‘I do not give the tag of greatness easily†— opting instead to acknowledge him as the most ‘popular and flamboyantâ€.
It is perhaps that maturity; popularity and flamboyance that has made Khumalo usurp Khuse in the partnership and come under sharper focus. Since the duo took over the bench from Muhsin Ertugral, Khumalo has assumed the task of giving pre- and post-match interviews. Their period in charge has been a highly successful stopgap, allowing the beleaguered Ertugral to enjoy golf while mulling over what is believed to be an offer that is far from the bench, something like director of football. That could involve directing the ball back to youth team players during their pre-training loosening session.
Khumalo and Khuse have arrested an embarrassing slide, creating a reasonable platform from which to build for the second round — whoever is in charge. In the opening five games that they were deputies, Chiefs won only one game and collected four points out of a possible 15. In the six league games they have been in charge, they have won half the games and drawn the rest. If one includes the two Coca-Cola Cup matches, they have lost one in eight, being the victims of some refereeing injustices in the process.
Having seen all their games in charge, Maponyane is impressed by the fact that ‘there is no tactical naivety†about them. He cites as an example, their two meetings against Cosmos in three weeks in the Coca-Cola Cup final and in the league. ‘Their change of formation to a 4-3-3 for the second game showed that they had learnt from the final.â€
Having lost the final 1-0, they won by double that margin in the league.
The return from injury of Patrick Mabedi, the continued solidity of Brian Baloyi in goal and the revelation that is Tenashe Nengomashe in central midfield have beenthe major ingredients of their surprise success.
All of that is true, but suggesting tactical astuteness at this stage is a bit generous. For one, the return to the pitch more than to form of Jabu Pule has been a psychological boost only. He has ignited in sporadic bursts and against Ajax was so bad he did not complete a pass in the whole first half. He has developed a self-centred sense of expression, as though he has a desire to compensate for his off-the-field excesses. In the process, he has compromised rhythm although he has delighted the fans and created a goal for Kapamba Musasa in the derby.
The litmus test of Khumalo and Khuse’s time in charge has been between the two meetings against Cosmos. In that period, they hosted Pirates and then went to Sundowns and, given their experience, they can take reasonable pride in the results. Against Pirates they drew to a late penalty. They were victims of poetic justice in the scoreless stalemate against Sundowns when Pule missed an incorrectly given penalty. That game yielded higher entertainment value than their emphatic victory over Cosmos when they concluded a mildly absorbing and torturous set of fixtures.
Yet the best part of Chiefs’s game these days is like vintage jazz — driven by improvisation. There are times when there is just no formation. Some of their most scintillating moves are split second, individual skill-driven cameos.
When Pirates denied them time and space on the ball, they resorted to the kick-and-hope football of speculative punts upfront, surrendering possession frequently and handing Pirates the initiative that led to the penalty.
When Kaizer Motaung recently announced that he has seven applications for the coaching job on his desk, it is safe to assume that the pile did not include ones from Khumalo or Khuse. As one expert notes: ‘Chiefs are too big a team for that, they will need an experienced coach.†At best, he believes, the duo will be retained as stopgaps in times of crisis.
So where should Khumalo take his coaching career? Maponyane suggests that the best to do is a level 1 and 2 coaching course. What then after that?
For one, Khumalo has had relatively limited travels compared to his former international peers. The likes of David Nyathi and Philemon Masinga have played in more than one country, sometimes in action-starved, frustrating conditions.
People like Moshoeu held it for just under a decade in different parts of Turkey. Khumalo has had brief sojourns in England and South America. In the United States, the idea of struggling for a place was laughable at best. And locally, he has played for one club. So what will he tell a recently acquired striker who is struggling to settle? Maponyane believes that even brief, weeklong travels with the national team teach valuable lessons. But he also acknowledges that the more travelled player stands a better chance.
What about the limelight? Can he leave Chiefs to go to Limpopo to further his career like Steve Khompela is doing at Dynamos and Neil Tovey had to do with Sundowns and Amazulu? Two industry pundits who declined to be named independently suggested that a low-profile stint would groom him well but also concurred that Khumalo is quite unlikely to abandon the sanctuary of Naturena.
The goalkeeper and current captain gives a guarded but telling insight into the Khumalo era. ‘There was never of talk of Doctor becoming a coach,†says Baloyi, ‘We always knew he was to take up some position at the club. Something like in marketing, but never coach.â€
So what was the first thing that Khumalo said when he took the reigns? Baloyi says: ‘[Khumalo and Khuse] told us that they know that the problem is that we are not free to express ourselves on the pitch and they gave us that freedom.â€
Baloyi’s own form in the past 10 games has been irresistible. He downplays any talk of responding to the new regime’s methods.
‘My form zooming up was just a coincidence,†he says, attributing it instead to goalkeeper coach Reiner Dinkerlaker.
Another question about Khumalo is whether his personality is suitable for coaching. Given that the most intense anger he displays is a mild outburst when one tries to confirm a rumour from the gossip press, it might be difficult for him to be very firm with players. Khumalo does not say much at half time, he only gives team talk ahead of the game, leaving the pressure of transformational motivation talks to Khuse.
Baloyi believes that Khumalo’s asset at Chiefs is the reverence he obtains from coaching players who have regarded him as an idol since childhood. No chance then of coaching in a set-up where he is not intensely regarded, let alone in a foreign country.
As Khumalo remains undecided as to his future in coaching, Baloyi can only advise that he should at least acquire a formal education and decide from there. He rightly points out that if you look at the history of the club, many players have gone into coaching at the end of their playing careers. But the reality he neglects to discuss is that the likes of Ryder Mofokeng, and Ace Ntsoelengoe, who made it to youth coaches and senior team assistants to more experienced foreign coaches, never progressed much further.
‘Doctor can learn from these people,†Baloyi says, ‘but then he must acquire [formal education].†Most importantly though, does he see Khumalo as a national coach in 10 years? ‘No, I do not see him go that route,†he says, instead believing that to be in the future for the likes of Khompela and Tovey.
So then, Khumalo’s immediate ambition need not go too far beyond the end of next January in a sequence of fixtures that starts away to Manning Rangers and ends with the plucky Wits — who beat Chiefs in the first round. Another test awaits.