How abrasive Ramovic keeps his dressing room cool and disciplined

TS Galaxy coach Sead Ramovic has warned DStv Premiership players not to be complacent as there’s plenty of talent in the lower divisions waiting on the wings for opportunities. 

The German coach has grown accustomed to local football since coming to SA in 2021, and has been a newsmaker of sorts. 

The job at the Rockets was his first gig as head coach, which divided opinion, although he holds a Uefa Pro Licence. He recently had to defuse tension at his club when players’ salaries were said to be unpaid, a few weeks after he had made headlines for a war of words with Pitso Mosimane over the treatment of Sibusiso Vilakazi. 

Ramovic does not bite his tongue when facing the media, and at times he’s come across as an abrasive figure. Like Nina Simone, he’s a soul whose intentions are good but has probably been misunderstood by the football fraternity. 

“I believe in God, I always give my best; I want to be a good human being, I want to be a good husband, I want to be a good friend, I want to be a good father and I always want to work on myself,” Ramovic told Sowetan.

“That’s why I have the Uefa Pro, it’s not about thinking I’m better, every coach in this league is good but I try to improve myself. I want to educate myself, one thing for sure is if you don’t work hard... if you don’t educate yourself, you won’t get successful.

“For me as a coach, I try to be honest, I try to be fair and I look on the field at what is happening. I demand a lot from myself. The way I demand on myself I also demand on my players,” he said. 

The former Wolfsburg and Borussia Mönchengladbach goalkeeper understands the demands that come with being a professional footballer. He uses his experience to keep players on their toes, stressing the importance of hard work. 

“This business is really difficult, to have success as a player you have to work hard every day, just for this small happiness in the end and they know this,” he said. 

“If you are not on top of things, many other players are waiting in line in SA for a chance. If you want to be in this business for long, you must work hard and if you don’t want to, you will be replaced and the others will get the chance.

“So many young soccer players in the second and third division, a lot of young players are waiting to get a chance. If you are not working hard, the other players are working hard,” Ramovic said.

The culture of going out to lavish night joints and drinking is a mainstay in SA football and has dismantled many football careers. How Ramovic goes about eradicating this in his camp, he tells of the harsh realities of alcohol ending careers.

“For some, it can be tough to understand, but I always tell them the truth, you have to work every day. I tell them to not go out and drink alcohol, what will happen (when they go out) they’ll come to training not fit, and if they don’t sleep they will come to training and not perform and pick up an injury. A soccer career is a short career. It can be five, 10 or 15 years. As a player, I stayed in this job for 18 years, I know what I’m talking about,” he said.

Ramovic’s Galaxy – who have reached the 30-point mark generally considered the safe zone to avoid a relegation dogfight – will resume their Premiership campaign when they host Maritzburg on Sunday at the Mbombela Stadium (5.30pm).